Oklahoma State Driver`s Manual

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Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Driver's Manual
November 2010
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FOREWORD
This handbook is written to help you qualify for an Oklahoma Driver License
and become a safe driver. It is not an official legal reference to Oklahoma traffic
laws, but explains in everyday language the knowledge and skills you will need
to drive safely and legally on Oklahoma’s roads and highways.
Good drivers know, understand, and respect the laws and safe-driving practices.
They drive defensively and courteously, always seeking to improve their driving
skills and habits.
If you are an Oklahoma resident, you must have an Oklahoma Driver License
to operate a car, truck, or motorcycle. You must pass the required tests for the
type of vehicle you want to drive. The tests will be given and evaluated by a
professional driver examiner of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety,
according to state and national standards.
Your license to operate a motor vehicle on Oklahoma’s streets and highways is a
privilege granted by the state under certain conditions. This privilege is granted
only to people who can show that they have the knowledge and the ability to
safely operate their vehicles. Abuse of the privilege may result in the loss of your
Oklahoma Driver License.
The Oklahoma Driver Manual presents instructions and general information
relating to the operation of motor vehicles in the state of Oklahoma. It is
based on the laws and regulations in effect at the time of publication.
Copyright 2010 Department of Public Safety, State of Oklahoma
All Rights Reserved - Department of Public Safety, State of Oklahoma Publisher
The contents of the Oklahoma Driver’s Manual are copyrighted by the Department of
Public Safety. By downloading this file, I certify that this file is for my personal use only
and that I will print only one draft for my personal use and no other paper or digital copies
will be made and that this file will not be distributed to any person, organization or entity
in any form, including paper copies and digital copies, without the express written permission in advance from the State of Oklahoma, Department of Public Safety. This file may
not be reproduced by any individual, agency, organization, association, or group without
approval in writing from the Department of Public Safety.
November 2010
Not to be sold
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1
Your Oklahoma Driver License
Chapter 1: How to Apply for Your Oklahoma Driver License........ 1-1
Who Has to Have an Oklahoma Driver License? • What to Bring with You •
Types of Oklahoma Driver Licenses • Parent-Taught Driver Education • What
to Expect: Vision Screening, Written Test, Driving Test • Where to Get Your
License • Organ Donor Option • Sex or Violent Offender Registration • License
Responsibilities • Fees
Chapter 2: Your Driver License—Restrictions and Renewals....... 2-1
Your Oklahoma Driving Privilege • If You Lose Your License • License Expiration
and Renewal • Changing Your Name and Address • Probationary Period •
Unauthorized Driving • Restrictions and Endorsements Placed on Your License
Chapter 3: Requirements for Oklahoma Drivers........................... 3-1
Registration, Tag, and Title • Financial Responsibility and Compulsory Liability
Insurance—You Must be Properly Insured • Vehicle Inspection • Mandatory
Safety Requirements—Seat Belts and Child Passenger Restraints • Child
Passenger Restraint System
Chapter 4: Driving Safety and Courtesy......................................... 4-1
The Right Attitude for the Road • Driving Defensively • Road Rage • What You
Can Do to Stay Safe • Suggestions for Avoiding Road Rage • Watch Out for
“Accident Makers” • What to Do If You Have a Collision
Section 2
Rules of the Road
Chapter 5: Signs, Signals and Markings......................................... 5-1
Regulatory Signs • Warning Signs • Railroad Warning Signs • Construction and
Maintenance Signs • Guide Signs • Service Signs • Traffic Signals • Pedestrian
Signals • Lane Control Signals • Pavement Markings
Chapter 6: Right-of-Way—When to Yield........................................ 6-1
You Must Yield to Children Playing in the Streets • You Must Yield to Blind
Persons • You Must Always Yield • Right-of-Way at Intersections • Crossing an
Intersection • Yield Right-of-Way to a School or Church Bus
Chapter 7: Lane Usage and Maneuvers........................................... 7-1
Changing Lanes • Expressway Driving • Passing • Turning • Turnabouts •
Backing
Chapter 8: Speed Limits................................................................... 8-1
The Basic Speed Rule • Speed Limits • Night Driving
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Chapter 9: Stopping and Following................................................. 9-1
Stopping Distances • Braking • Stopping in Icy and Rainy Conditions • Following
• How to Avoid Rear-End Collisions
Chapter 10: Parking........................................................................ 10-1
Parking • Parking on a Highway • Angle Parking • Parallel Parking • Parking and
Starting on a Hill • Disabled Parking Permit • Unlawful Parking
Section 3 Driving Safely
Chapter 11: Sharing the Road. ...................................................... 11-1
Pedestrians • Bicycles • Motorcycles • Trucks • Trains • Slow-Moving Vehicles
Chapter 12: Driving Tips ................................................................ 12-1
Using High and Low Headlight Beams Properly • Using a Standard Transmission
• Good Driving Posture • Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning • Driving Out of
State • Car Phone Safety • Emergency Kit for Your Car • Traffic Facts • Flood
Safety Rules
Section 4
Violations and Penalties
Chapter 13: Alcohol, Drugs, and Driving — Oklahoma Is Tough on
DUIs...................................................................................................13-1
Alcohol—Why Drinking and Driving Is So Dangerous • Oklahoma Implied
Consent Laws • Criminal Evidence and Penalties • Other Drugs and Driving •
Zero Tolerance for Drivers under 21 • Additional Penalties for Persons Under 18
Chapter 14: Violations and Penalties.............................................14-1
Unlawful Use of License and/or Identification Card • School Withdrawal •
Driver’s Record • Driver Improvement • Probationary License • Mandatory
Revocation of Your License • Oklahoma Mandatory Point System • Financial
Responsibility—Liability Insurance Requirements • Financial Responsibility
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WHO HAS TO HAVE AN OKLAHOMA DRIVER LICENSE?
All residents who operate a motor vehicle on any Oklahoma street or highway.
n Drivers with an out-of-state license must apply for an Oklahoma Driver
License at the time they establish residency.
Upon establishing residency, your vehicles must be registered in Oklahoma. See
your local tag agent. This may not apply to military personnel and their spouses.
An Oklahoma License is NOT required for:
1.Nonresidents at least 16 years old who are properly licensed to drive in their
home state or country.
2.Nonresidents on active duty with the Armed Forces and their spouses and
children with valid licenses from their home states
3.Nonresident students enrolled at an Oklahoma college or university and their
spouses and children with valid licenses from their home states
4.Anyone operating a farm tractor or implement solely for farm/ranch activities.
WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU
You must apply for your license in person at a Driver Testing Facility operated by
the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (See Appendix for locations.)
Use this checklist for items to bring with you:
___ 1. Your full legal name will be used on your license. A name change resulting
from marriage must appear on the driver license or identification card in one of the
following forms:
n (First name) (middle name or initial) (surname of spouse)
n (First name) (former surname or initial) (surname of spouse)
n (First name) (middle name or initial) (surname-surname of spouse)
___ 2. Bring proper identification. Notarized documents or photocopies are not
acceptable. You are required to present primary identification. For your primary
ID, you must show an original or certified document such as:
•Oklahoma driver license originally
•Certified birth certificate.
issued after November 1, 2007
•U.S. passport
•Citizenship naturalization documents •Citizenship naturalization documents
•State of Oklahoma identification card, •Alien registration card
•CBA—Citizen Born Abroad
originally issued by Department of
Public Safety, after November 1, 2007
For secondary ID, you must show any of the following:
•Any primary proof of identification •Oklahoma identification card issued
•Out of state driver license prior to November 1, 2007
•Oklahoma driver license issued prior •For any person under the age of 18,
to November 1, 2007 an affidavit signed by the parent or
legal guardian
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continued on next page
1-1
Secondary identification, continued:
•Photo identification card that is issued •Medical examiner certificate (DOT
physical card)
by an Oklahoma:
•Oklahoma Tax Commission
-Public, private or parochial
Agriculture Exempt permit
secondary school
•Medical/Medicaid card or medical
-Institution of higher learning
eligibility card
-Vocational-technical school
•Military identification card
-Employer
•Military dependent identification card
•Oklahoma gun permit
•Military discharge (DD-214) unless
•Pilot license
specified not to be used for identifi•Oklahoma voter registration card
cation
•Social security card
•Digital photograph comparison, if a
•Health insurance card
Department-generated digital
•Motor vehicle registration or title
photograph is already on file with
•Marriage license
the Department
•Separation or divorce judgment
•United States Bureau of Indian
•High school, career technology,
Affairs identification card
college or university degree
•Oklahoma tribal photo identification
•Professional degree, certificate or
card from the following tribes:
license
•Deed or title to property in Oklahoma, -Kiowa of Oklahoma
-Comanche of Oklahoma
including a burial plot deed
•Health, life, or home insurance policy -Caddo Nation
-Absentee Shawnee
issued to the applicant
-Cheyenne/Arapaho
•Automobile insurance policy or
-Choctaw
security verification form issued to
-Delaware
the applicant
•Oklahoma lifetime hunting or fishing •Department of Corrections
Consolidated Records card
license
For Replacement Licences—Applicants requesting replacement of a lost, stolen
or mutilated Oklahoma driver license or ID card must furnish, at a minimum, a
primary and secondary form of identification.
Applicants for renewals with an expired Oklahoma license or Oklahoma ID card
must provide document from primary and secondary identification lists. A state
certified birth certificate or U.S. Passport is required to show legal presence.
Name Change—Documentation required. A person requesting a name change shall
comply with the primary and secondary identification requirements in OAC 595:10-13(b) in order to identify the person by his or her former name and OAC 595:10-1-18
in order to identify the person by his or her new name. The required documents for a
name change shall include:
•Divorce decree
•Adoption decree
•Name change decree, or
•Establishment of record of birth, pursuant to 63 OS., 1-315
•Marriage license, may only serve as a secondary form of identification as
required by OAC 595:10-1-3(B), or
• For a common law marriage, “Affidavit of Common Law Marriage” containing
the notarized signatures of the husband and wife. Both primary and secondary
forms of identification as prescribed in OAC 595:10-1-3(B) must be submitted
in addition to this affidavit.
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Form of new name—A name change resulting from marriage must appear on the
driver license or identification card in one of the following forms:
n (First name) (middle name or initial) (surname of spouse)
n (First name) (former surname or initial) (surname of spouse)
n (First name) (middle name or initial) (surname-surname of spouse)
A name change resulting from a court order must appear on the driver license
or identification card exactly as stated on the court order. Titles or ecclesiastical
names will not be placed on a driver license or an identification card.
• If you are not a United States citizen, you must present valid identification and
documentation that you are in the United States legally. If you are a U.S. citizen
but born outside of the United States, including military bases, you must provide proof of citizenship pursuant to the laws of the United States. No license
shall be issued to any alien whose documentation indicates the alien is a
visitor or is not eligible to establish residency.
___ 3. Bring valid proof of auto liability insurance if you’re taking the driving test.
___ 4. If you have health or physical conditions that might impair your driving
ability, you may be required to have a doctor’s statement about your condition.
___ 5. Provide your Social Security number. This number will not appear on your license.
___ 6. If you are under 18 years of age, you must also bring one of the following:
•Proof of current enrollment in a secondary or vocational-technical school, on a
form provided by your school, or
•Proof of an excused absence, as defined in State Statutes Title 47 Sect. 6-107.3
on a form provided by your school, or
•Proof of enrollment and satisfactory progress in a program leading to a
Certificate of High School Equivalency (General Equivalency Diploma: GED),
on a form provided by the Department of Public Safety, or
•Proof that you have completed a GED, or
•Proof of home schooling, on a form provided by the Department of Public Safety, or
•Proof of employment, if you are working a minimum of 24 hours a week. The
form may be obtained from the Department of Public Safety and must be signed
by your employer and notarized, or
•Your high school diploma showing proof that you have graduated from high school.
___ 7. If you are under 18 years of age, you must also bring:
•Documentation from your school showing you have successfully passed the
criterion-referenced reading test required for all eighth grade students or an
alternative reading proficiency test approved by the State Department of
Education pursuant to State Statutes Title 47 Section 3 [Section 1210.515 of
Title 70] demonstrating reading proficiency at the eighth grade reading level,
unless such student is excused from such requirement pursuant to the provisions
of State Statutes Title 47 Section 3 [ibid.].
___ 8. Bring driver’s education completion certificate (i.e., green card from
driver’s ed) or a certificate of completion of driver’s education from a commercial
school or a parent-taught driver’s education course approved by the Department of
Public Safety. If proof of driver’s education completion is not presented, additional
restrictions may be imposed.
All forms provided by the schools must be typed. Each signature block must
have an original signature.
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TABLE 1—TYPES OF LICENSES
You must show proper identification each time you apply for a test, retest,
replacement license, or ID card.
TYPE
MINIMUM
TYPE OF VEHICLE AND REQUIREMENTS
AGE
Class A, B, or C
18Single or combination vehicle with a Gross Vehicle
Commercial
Weight Rating (GVWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more (does
License
not include farm vehicles); a vehicle transporting
hazardous materials in amounts requiring a placard;
or a vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver.
REQUIREMENTS: If you will be driving any one of these vehicles, you must study
the Commercial Driver Manual to prepare for the driving test.
Class A, B, or C
18
Requirements: You must pass all the required examiCommercial
nations for an Oklahoma Class D license and have
Learner Permit
passed all parts of the tests for a Class A, B, or C
license except the Skills Tests. You must be accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older, who is licensed for the classes of vehicles being
driven, including all required endorsements. Valid for one (1) year. Renewable. You will
be eligible for Skills Tests 30 days after obtaining the Permit. You can take the test only
3 times after date of eligibility. After that, you can take the test only once every 30 days.
REQUIREMENTS: A Learner License is valid only while a licensed driver, 21 or older,
is actually sitting in the seat beside the driver. The driving test can be taken 6 months
after the permit is issued. The restriction of “Licensed Driver in the Front Seat” will be
removed when you pass the driving test. You can take the test only 3 times after date of
eligibility. After that, you can take the test only once every 30 days.
TYPE
MINIMUM
TYPE OF VEHICLE AND REQUIREMENTS
AGE
Motorcycle
Endorsement
16
Added to Class A, B, C, or D license.
Requirements: You must first have a valid Oklahoma Driver License, then pass the
Motorcycle Endorsement Test.
Motorcycle
16
Study the Motorcycle License Manual in addition to
License
this manual.
Requirements: You must meet the vision, written, and skills test requirements. On the
driving test, you must prove your ability to operate a cycle safely.
Motorcycle
14
Restricted to a motor scooter or motorcycle with a pisLicense Permit
ton displacement of no more than 250 cc. (cubic centimeters). You may ride only between the hours of
5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (Effective Nov. 1, 2010) You cannot carry a passenger. If
your motorcycle is less than 150cc, there is an additional restriction that you may
not exceed 35 mph. If your motorcycle is over 150cc but not larger than 250cc,
you may drive the posted speed limit with the exception you may not drive on
a highway with a posted minimum speed limit such as an interstate or turnpike.
These restrictions are automatically lifted at age 16. However, a helmet is required
for anyone under 18 years of age. (Also see the Motorcycle License Manual.)
You must see a Driver License Examiner to have a #9 restriction added to your
motorcycle driver license at the age of 15 1/2 years of age. You must have the permit
for six months before you are eligible to take the driving test in a class D vehicle.
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Requirements: You must be receiving instruction from a parent, legal guardian or any
person 21 or older who has a valid Oklahoma Driver License with a motorcycle endorsement added and who has visual contact with the operator. You must meet the requirements
for a regular driver license. You may take the driving test 30 days after the permit is
issued. If you pass, the learner restriction will be removed.
14-15 year olds: Learner Restriction is required. Your application must be signed by a
custodial parent or legal guardian who must agree that the conditions imposed upon the
license will be complied with and who must also be willing to assume financial and legal
responsibility if you violate the law, damage property, or cause personal injury while
riding your cycle.
Identification
Card
none
Card is to be used for identification only.
Requirements: You must be an Oklahoma resident and provide the same type of
identification as is required for a driver license. You must complete the application in
person at a Driver License Exam location. You must have a custodial parent or legal
guardian sign the consent form if you are under 18 years of age.
PARENT-TAUGHT DRIVER EDUCATION
On November 1, 2001, Oklahoma enacted Parent-Taught Driver Education. The program
is designed to provide driver education to students who are unable to receive it in school
or through a commercial driving school. Oklahoma has enjoyed the benefits of driver
education in conventional school settings for years and today offers alternative sources of
education to target more young drivers.
Listed below are some questions and answers about Oklahoma’s Parent-Taught Driver
Education.
Q What is Parent-Taught Driver Education?
A Parent-Taught is an alternative to conventional Driver Education that is
recognized by the Department of Public Safety. It is offered as correspondence
study through approved Parent-Taught Driver Education Providers.
Q Is this type of Driver Education free?
A No. Approved Vendors charge a fee for the curriculum.
Q Is Parent-Taught Driver Education a faster way to complete Driver Ed?
A While Parent-Taught Driver Education is designed for students to work at
their own pace, it is not designed to be a fast-track way to complete Driver
Education. Students are required to complete 30 hours of classroom training and
55 hours of actual behind-the-wheel training, which is all programmed into the
curriculum of approved providers.
Q I want to know if I should take Parent-Taught Driver Ed or go through
a Commercial School?
A Parent-Taught Driver Education is the newest of three forms of driver
education in Oklahoma. If you do not attend a public school or there are no
commercial driving schools in your area, Parent-Taught Education may be right
for you.
For additional information or an application packet, visit our Web site at
http://www. dps.state.ok.us/dls/ptde.htm
or call our automated answering number: 405-425-7272.
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NEW GRADUATED DRIVER LICENSE (GDL)
House Bill 1599 requires teens to apply for the license which restricts their driving time to the hours of 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. with the exceptions for driving to work,
school, church or related activities, or if a licensed driver over 21 years of age
is seated next to the teenager. The bill also prevents teenage drivers from chauffeuring their friends around town, prohibiting teens with a restricted license from
driving with multiple passengers younger than 21 (other than family).
Listed below are some questions and answers about Oklahoma’s Graduated
Driver License law and how it will affect young people under the age of 17.
Q What is GDL?
A GDL stands for Graduated Driver License. The GDL program gradually
phases in driving privileges for new teen drivers as they gain experience behind
the wheel.
Q Why do we need GDL?
A Because Oklahoma’s teenage drivers have more crashes than any other age
group. This is one reason insurance premiums are so high for teen drivers.
During their first year of driving, 25 percent of 16-year-olds either receive a
traffic ticket or are involved in a crash.
Q Are other states passing GDL too?
A Yes. All 50 states have some version of Graduated Driver License as
established by their laws.
Q What happens if you break the rules and are convicted of a moving
violation?
A You will remain at your current GDL level (learner or intermediate) until six (6)
months from the date of conviction has elapsed..
Q Does the driver education course I take have to be given by a high
school?
ANo. You may take any driver education course that has been certified by
the Department of Public Safety, including parent-taught driver education and
commercial driving schools. (See the chart on page 1-7 for more information.)
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Graduated Driver License
(Applies to new applicants under 18 years of age)
License
Type
Driving
Privileges
No
License
When: While receiving
instruction from and
accompanied by a certified
driver education instructor
Learner
Permit
When: While
accompanied by a licensed
driver at least 21 years
old between the hours of
5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
(Effective Nov. 1, 2010)
Intermediate
License
Unrestricted
License
Requirements
With Driver Education*
No Driver Education
aAt least 15 years old
a
While receiving in-
(Not eligible)
aAt least 15 1/2 years old
aMust be currently
aAt least 16 years old
aMust have passed
struction from a certified
instructor
receiving instruction in
or have completed driver
education
aMust have passed
written driving exam
aMust have passed
vision exam
written driving exam
aMust have passed
vision exam
When: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
unless for activities related
to school, church, or work
or any time accompanied
by licensed driver at least
21 years old
Passengers: 1 passenger
or
Only people who live in
driver’s home or
Any passenger if
accompanied by licensed
driver at least 21 years old.
aMust have a learner
permit for at least 6
months
aMust have had at
least 50 hrs. (10 hrs. at
night) of behind-the-wheel
training from licensed
driver at least 21 years old
and licensed for at least 2
years
aMust have no traffic
convictions on driving
record
aMust have passed
driving skills exam
aMust have a learner
permit for at least 6
months
aMust have had at
least 50 hrs. (10 hrs.
at night) of behindthe-wheel training
from licensed driver at
least 21 years old and
licensed for at least 2
years
aMust have no traffic
convictions on driving
record
aMust have passed
driving skills exam
When: unrestricted
Passengers: unrestricted
aMust have an
Intermediate License for at
least 6 months
aMust have no traffic
convictions on driving
record
aMust have an
Intermediate License
for at least one year
aMust have no traffic
convictions on driving
record
- ORa Must be at least 18 years old
a Must have passed all driving and vision exams
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*Driver Education means one of the following:
a A prescribed secondary school driver education course, as provided for in
Sections 19-113 through 19-121 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
a A driver education course, certified by the Department of Public Safety,
from a parochial, private, or other nonpublic secondary school.
a A commercial driver training course, as defined by Sections 801 through
808 of this title.
a A parent-taught driver education course, certified by the Department of
Public Safety.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The law says that you must pass certain tests to show that you can drive a car or
motorcycle legally and safely before you can get your Oklahoma Driver License.
You apply for your license and take your tests at a Driver Testing Facility operated
by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. For the Class D license, there are
three tests: the vision screening, the written test, and the driving test for cars and
motorcycles. You may not be required to take all three (See Table 3, page 1-9).
You are not required to pay any money when you take the tests. When you
successfully meet all the requirements, the Driver Examiner will give you a form
stating the type of license, any restrictions that apply, and the fee. You will take
the form to a tag agent who will take your picture, collect the fees, and issue your
license. If you have been issued a Social Security Number, you must bring the
card or number with you when you apply for an Oklahoma driver’s license or I.D.
card. This number will not appear on your license or I.D. card.
Vision Screening—Your vision will be checked. You may be required to wear
glasses or contact lenses to drive safely.
Written Test—The questions for a Class D license test will be taken from this
manual. You will be asked questions about Oklahoma traffic laws, safe driving
practices, and drug and alcohol laws/effects. You should also know local traffic
laws for your city or town (check with your local police department). For a
Class A, B, C license or a Motorcycle Endorsement, also study the proper
supplemental manual. An oral test will be given on request (an appointment
may be required).
If you fail the written test, by law you must wait at least one day before retesting.
Driving Test—You must show that you can drive legally and safely on streets
and highways. It’s very important to have proper training and learn safe driving
skills before you try to take the driving test. To qualify for the test:
• You must pass the vision screening and the written test.
• The car you are using must have a valid tag and you must show the security verification form. The car must be in proper mechanical condition.
• No pets or additional people can be in the car with you and the
Examiner.
The Examiner will tell you where to drive and what driving maneuvers to
perform. You must show that you can:
• Control the car or motorcycle.
• Properly perform basic maneuvers such as turning right and left, backing, parking
on a hill, starting on a hill, etc.
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•
•
•
•
Use signals and drive in the proper lane.
Understand and obey traffic signs, markings, and signals.
Properly apply the rules of right-of-way.
Carefully observe and correctly respond to other vehicles and pedestrians.
Skills test will not be conducted when roads are considered by the examiner to be
slick or hazardous. 595:10-3 – 9(c)(2).
WHERE TO GET YOUR LICENSE
Driver license tests are available in many cities throughout Oklahoma. Call your
local tag agent, police department, sheriff’s office, or any Oklahoma Highway
Patrol Headquarters for testing locations, dates, and times. You get your actual
license from a tag agency, usually listed in the yellow pages under “Tags” or
ask your Examiner about an agency near you.
TABLE 3—TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASS D LICENSES
R=Required
D=At the discretion of the Examiner
N=None
APPLICANT
VISION WRITTEN DRIVING
COMMENTS
New driver, age 16 and up
R
R
R
A license issued to a person under 18 is considered pro-
bationary (see page 2-2).
Learning Permit,
R
R
! Must be 16 years old and
age 15 1/2 and up
have had your permit for at least 6 months to take the
driving test.
Motorcycle, age 16 and up
R
R
R
Motorcycle, age 14-15
R
R
! Must have had your permit for at least 30 days to take the driving test.
Renewal, expired less
N
N
N
Take your expired Oklahoma
than 3 years - more than
license to a tag agent and 30 days
proof of legal presence
Renewal, expired more
R
R
R
than 3 years
Out-of-State Transfer of
R
D
D
If you have a valid license
a valid Class D license
in your possession or on file, the written and driving test may be waived if department standards are met.
Identification Card
N
N
N
Requires same proof of ID
as a license.
Reasons for Failing the Driving Test—You can fail the driving test for too many
errors, dangerous driving, law violations, traffic collision, or refusing to perform
a maneuver.
After the test, the Examiner will explain any driving errors you made. If you
failed the test, the Examiner will tell you when you can retake the test. By
Administrative Rule, you may be granted the opportunity to retest on the next
available regular business day as scheduling permits. (595:10-3:C-1).
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ORGAN DONOR OPTION
There is a critical shortage of organs and tissues for those who need organ and/
or tissue transplants. When you are issued your Oklahoma Driver License or
Identification Card, you will be given the opportunity to become an organ/tissue
donor. If you wish to become a donor, you will need to check the YES box on the
signature pad. If you do not want to be added to the donor registry, you will need
to check the NO box. For additional information, you many contact LifeShare of
Oklahoma at www.lifeshareok.org or 1-888-580-5680.
Checking the YES box will cause a red heart
to be printed on the face of the
Driver License or Identification Card. This is a legal document and can be the
only document required to authorize the recovery and transplantation of your
organs and/or tissue if you should become an eligible donor. You are encouraged
to inform your family of your decision to be a donor if you checked the YES box,
although it is not required.
SEX AND VIOLENT CRIME OFFENDER REGISTRATION
State Law requires persons convicted of sex offenses or violent crimes relocating
in this state to register with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections within 10
days and local law enforcement within 3 days. Failure to register is punishable
by fine and/or imprisonment.
LICENSE RESPONSIBILITIES
n Write down your driver license number and memorize it.
n Always carry your license with you when you drive.
n You are required by law to show it to a trooper, police officer, sheriff, or judge
when asked.
n You must show your license to anyone with whom you are involved in a collision
FEES
The Examiner will advise you of the fees due when you have passed all required
tests. The schedule on page 1-11 will help you determine what the fees will be.
All fees are paid to the tag agency when the license is issued.
Replacement License—Issued when an existing license is lost, destroyed, or
damaged; when adding or removing endorsements or restrictions; or when changing your name or address. If you have a commercial driver license, you must see
a driver examiner.
Application Fee—Charged each time you apply for an original license, upgrade,
or addition of an endorsement.
Retest Fee—Charged any time one or more tests are failed on a single application date.
For example, if Sally passes her written test and fails the driving test on Monday,
she will pay $4. If she tries again the next Monday and fails, she will pay another
$4. She passes on the next attempt. Her total fail fees are $8.
Retest fees are included in the total fees charged and paid at the tag agency.
Prorated Fees—Charged for people 62 years or older for new or renewal of a
Class D License.
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TABLE 4—APPLICATION AND LICENSE FEES
TYPE OF
APPLICATION LICENSE
LICENSE
FEE
FEE
Class A
$ 25
$41.50
Class B
$15
$41.50
Class C
$ 15
$31.50
Class D
$ 4
$21.50
Learner Permit
$ 4
$21.50
Prorated: Age 62
$ 4
$ 11.25
Age 63
$ 4
$ 7.50
Age 64
$ 4
$ 3.75
Age 65
$ 4
-0-
Motorcycle
$4
$10
Endorsement
Motorcycle
$ 4
$21.50
License
Motorcycle
$ 4
$21.50
Learner Permit
Lost License
-0-
$10
Identification Card
-0-
$10
TOTAL
FEES
$66.50
$ 56.50
$ 46.50
$ 25.50
$ 25.50
$ 15.25
$ 11.50
$ 7.75
$ 4
$ 14
RETEST REPLACEFEE
MENT FEE
$ 4
$10
$ 4
$10
$ 4
$10
$ 4
$10
$ 4
$10
$ 4
$10
$ 4
$10
$ 4
$10
$4
-0$ 4
$10
$ 25.50
$ 4
$10
$ 25.50
$ 4
$10
$ 10
$10
-0-
-0-
$10
$10
You must show primary and secondary
identification to apply for an original Oklahoma
Driver License or for retesting, license renewal,
identification card, or replacement license.
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DIGITAL DRIVER LICENSES AND ID CARDS
In the fall of 2003, Oklahoma began issuing new driver licenses and identification
cards that have a new look and provide improved security. Every cardholder’s
demographic information, digital portrait with ‘ghosted’ image, and signatures
are printed onto a highly durable plastic card. A ‘security’ laminate coating
covers each card, which increases the durability and tamper resistance of the
document.
Driver licenses and identification cards are differentiated by their color. A
Commercial Driver License (CDL) is printed on a yellow background, a
Class D driver license is printed on a blue background, and an identification
card is printed on a red background. Note: The orientation for all ‘under 21’
cardholders is vertical instead of horizontal and shows the date when the
individual turns ‘18’ or ‘21.’
Endorsement(s), restriction(s), county of residence as well as organ donor and
deaf or hard of hearing logo are located on the back. Two bar codes are also on
the back of the card containing information from the front of the card.
Finger images are mandatory for processing all driver license and
identification cards. The information is an added security feature to guard
against identity theft. The finger images are not available outside of the
Department of Public Safety without a court order (6-110-2-C).
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YOUR OKLAHOMA DRIVING PRIVILEGE
You do not own your license. It is the property of the State of Oklahoma and
can be denied, canceled, suspended, or revoked if you do not abide by the laws
of the state of Oklahoma. Driving is a privilege you have earned by passing the
tests and paying the application fees. Your driver license is your legal permission
to drive a car or motorcycle on streets and highways in Oklahoma, the United
States, and many places throughout the world. Take good care of your license
and always carry it with you when you drive.
IF YOU LOSE YOUR LICENSE
If your license is lost, destroyed, or so damaged that the information is not
readable, contact the Department of Public Safety, your local Driver Examiner,
or a tag agency for a replacement license. Only a valid Oklahoma license can
be replaced.
To replace a commercial license, you must apply through a Driver Examiner.
LICENSE EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL
Your license is issued for four years from the month in which you paid your
fee and received your license. It expires the last day of the month. You can
renew it up to one year before the expiration date. For example, if you received
your license in June 2008, the expiration date shown on the license will be 06/12,
meaning it will expire at midnight, June 30, 2012. You may renew it any time
between June 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012.
Aliens must appear before a driver license examiner for an original, renewal,
or replacement driver license. They must show all immigration documents each
time they appear. The expiration of the license will coincide with the dates of the
immigration documents. (Exception: legal permanaent residents are allowed to
replace a license at their local tag agency). The permanent resident card is required
Only If the License Is Expired.
You must renew your license in person at a tag agency. You can renew by mail
if you are out of the state at the time of expiration. Military personnel stationed
outside Oklahoma do not have to renew until 60 days after they return to the
Oklahoma, but they may renew by mail if they wish.
If your license is expired over 30 days you must appear before a Driver License
Examiner or Tag Agent approved to accept a certified birth certificate. Tag
Agents cannot accept any other documents, including a passport or immigration
documents.
If you have a Commercial Driver License, you must see an Examiner to renew.
If you wish to receive a renewal notification reminder for a driver license or
identification card, you may register online at www.dps.state.ok.us/dls.
CHANGING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS
Your correct name and address on your driver license, on file with the Department
of Public Safety, ensures that the Department can reach your family if you are in
a collision. It also ensures that the Department can reach you by mail, if needed.
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If legal notification can’t be delivered to you because your correct address is not
on file, you could lose your license.
Required by Law—When you move you must notify the Department of Public
Safety in writing within 10 days, either by reporting to your local Tag Agent or
by writing to:
Department of Public Safety
P.O. Box 11415
Oklahoma City, OK 73136
The Department will not notify you: It’s your responsibility to report the
change within 10 days.
When you change your name, you must present to the Tag Agent or the
Department of Public Safety a certified document, such as a marriage license or
court order, proving the change.
As required by law, legal notice is served to you by first-class mail at the address
of record.
Failure to notify the Department of Public Safety when you change your name
or address can result in the suspension of your license without your receiving
notice of the suspension.
PROBATIONARY PERIOD
Until you are 18, your license is probationary (you are in a trial period to show
you can drive safely and legally). The Department of Public Safety may cancel
or suspend your license for any unlawful act, negligence, or misconduct while
driving.
UNAUTHORIZED DRIVING
n It is illegal to drive without a license.
Even if you have a licensed driver with you, you are breaking the law if you
don’t have a license or learner permit. Both you and the person who lets you
drive the car can be arrested.
n It is illegal for parents to allow their children to drive without a learner permit
or driver license.
n It is illegal to let another person drive your vehicle or a vehicle that you are
responsible for unless that person has a valid driver license.
PENALTIES FOR DRIVING WITHOUT A VALID LICENSE
On conviction, a fine of up to $500 or 6 months in jail, or both
RESTRICTIONS AND ENDORSEMENTS PLACED ON YOUR LICENSE
Restrictions or endorsements are meant to improve the safety of your driving and
help you be a better driver. They are not meant to interfere with your driving.
An endorsement usually means you are qualified to use a certain type of vehicle,
such as a motorcycle or a truck carrying hazardous materials.
A restriction refers to conditions that affect your safety as a driver. Restrictions
are listed as a code on your license and explained on the back of the license.
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Restriction Codes
1 = Corrective lenses. For people who must wear glasses or contacts to meet the
vision requirements.
2 = Left outside rear vision mirror. For people with limited vision in the left
eye or with limited hearing.
3 = Restriction #1 or #2.
4 = Automatic transmission. For people whose physical condition requires an
automatic transmission to handle the vehicle safely.
5 = Turn indicators and power steering or steering knob. For people with
limited use of either hand.
6 = Food, fruit, or candy within reach of the driver. For people with insulindependent diabetes.
7 = Adequate artificial limbs.
8 = Detailed restrictions on license. Refers to any other special conditions that
might be required.
9 = Accompanied by licensed driver 21 years of age or older in the front seat.
For people learning to drive.
0 = Motorcycle only. Riders under 16 are restricted to a motor scooter or
motorcycle with piston displacement of no more than 250 cc, to ride only
between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. You cannot carry a passenger. If the motor
scooter or motorcycle is less than 250 cc, there is an additional restriction that
you may not exceed 35 mph and cannot ride on a highway where a minimum
speed limit is established and posted. These restrictions are automatically lifted
at 16. However, a helmet is required for anyone under 18 years of age. (Also see
the Motorcycle License Manual.)
Restriction “A” = Motorcycle learner. For people receiving instruction from
a parent, legal guardian, or any person 21 or older, who has a valid Oklahoma
Driver License with a motorcycle endorsement added, and who has visual
contact with the operator.
Restriction “G” = Graduated driver license. Requires inquiry of Oklahoma
driver license file until age 18 or older. No restriction for age 18 or older.
(Effective Nov. 1, 2010).
• Refer to page 1-7.
Other endorsements and restrictions apply to commercial licenses.
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATING A RESTRICTION
On conviction, a fine of up to $500, 6 months in jail, or both
Removing restrictions or adding endorsements. When a restriction is no
longer needed, such as a learner or physical restriction, or if it is in error, contact
a Driver Examiner.
To add an endorsement, you must see a Driver Examiner and pass the required tests.
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REGISTRATION, TAG, AND TITLE
The car you are driving must have a current license tag, registration, and title.
When you register your car at a tag agency, which means that you have paid the
required taxes, you will get a new license tag or a current-year sticker to put on
your present tag. If you buy or sell a car, you must go to the tag agency and
transfer the title to show proper ownership. Registration and title transfer fees
depend on the age, type, and value of the vehicle.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COMPULSORY LIABILITY
INSURANCE—YOU MUST BE PROPERLY INSURED
Oklahoma has strict laws about having valid auto liability insurance. “Liability”
means that as a driver, you are legally and financially responsible for injury,
death, or property damages caused by you or your vehicle in a collision. All
Oklahoma drivers and/or vehicle owners are required by law to carry the minimum limits of liability for this state:
n $25,000 for injury or death of one person
n $50,000 for injury or death of two or more persons
n $25,000 for property damage
At the time of a collision or a traffic stop, the driver must show a current security
verification form (proof of liability insurance) to the law enforcement officer.
The vehicle owner’s insurance company or an individual’s non-owner insurance
policy will provide the proper security verification form.
Collisions — The Department of Public Safety will suspend the driver license
of the uninsured driver and/or owner of a vehicle involved in a collision where
there is any injury or property damage of $300 or more.
Compulsory Liability Insurance — If you receive a ticket for failing to have
proof of liability insurance, the courts will notify the Department of Public
Safety. Your driver license and your vehicle tags will be suspended.
Carry your proof of liability insurance (security verification form) in your
car — By law, you must show it to a law enforcement officer or Department
of Public Safety Representative when asked. If you are in a collision, you must
show your proof of liability insurance to the other driver and to the other people
involved. You should write down the information from the other driver’s security
verification form and the driver’s complete name, driver’s license number, and
date of birth for driver and owner for your own protection.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY—
PENALTY FOR NOT HAVING LIABILITY INSURANCE
A conviction of failure to comply with the Compulsory Insurance Law or failure
to produce proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer or Department of
Public Safety representative upon request can result in—
A fine of up to $250, 30 days in jail, or both • Suspension of license and registration
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Counterfeit or Fraudulent Security Verification—To fraudulently create,
manufacture, or counterfeit a security verification form may result in a felony
conviction which carries severe penalties in the form of both fine and/or
imprisonment.
Simple possession of a fraudulent or counterfeit security verification form
may result in a misdemeanor charge being filed against you. A conviction on
this charge may result in a fine of up to $250 and a mandatory suspension of
your driving privilege and vehicle registration. You may only present a security
verification form for proof of insurance which has been issued by an insurance
company or agent.
TIP: It is wise to verify that a current insurance verification form is in any vehicle
you drive, regardless of who owns it, because you may be arrested and have your
driving privileges suspended if you are operating it without insurance.
ALL CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT IS SENT TO YOU
AT THE ADDRESS WE HAVE ON FILE.
The Department of Public Safety must have your current address on file. Failure
to keep an updated address with the Department could result in a suspension
without your knowledge. Keep your license—keep in touch!
VEHICLE INSPECTION
All vehicles must be equipped as required by Chapter §12 of Oklahoma Statute
Title 47. Officers may inspect a vehicle and its equipment according to Chapter
§13-102 of Oklahoma Statute Title 47.
The following items will be inspected and must be in good working order:
• Lights: headlight, tail lights, brake
•Brakes
lights, turn signals, parking lights,
•Horn
license plate light, reflectors
• Exhaust system
• Valid Oklahoma license plate
• Windshield and glass
• Rear view mirror
• Windshield wiper
• If your vehicle is required by federal law • Insurance verification form
to have the third brake light, it must be •Tires
in working order at the time of testing. • Seat belts (vehicles after 1965)
MANDATORY SAFETY REQUIREMENTS—
SEAT BELTS AND CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINTS
Every driver and front-seat passenger must wear a properly adjusted and fastened
safety seat belt system. The seat belt must be factory-installed and meet federal
safety standards.
In a collision:
• Seat belts reduce the force of impact against
the car’s interior.
• You can be thrown out of the car. Seat belts
keep you inside the car and safer.
• Seat belts can keep fender benders from
becoming major collisions because you are
still in position to control your car or truck.
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• If all passengers are buckled in, there is much less danger of being thrown
forward or from the vehicle.
• Small children are especially prone to injury or death and must be protected:
Sit them in the back seat with seat belts fastened or strapped into a child passenger restraint system.
CHILD PASSENGER
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
Every driver, when transporting
a child under six (6) years of age
in a motor vehicle operated on
the roadways, streets, or highways
of this state, shall provide for the
protection of said child by properly
using a child passenger restraint
system. The infant or child safety
seat has to meet federal standards for
crash-tested restraint systems as set by
the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Children at least six (6) years of age but
younger than thirteen (13) years of age
shall be protected by use of a child passenger
restraint system or a seat belt.
Small children are especially at risk in a collision—even in sudden stops. No
child should be allowed to ride without being restrained or to stand on the car
seat or on the floor in front of the instrument panel where the head can be hit
during a sudden stop or crushed in a collision.
Studies show that an adult in the front seat
holding an infant CANNOT prevent the
baby from going through the windshield on
impact.
Passenger Air Bags—The explosive power
of an air bag has killed children and elderly
adults under 5 feet tall. If your car is
equipped with an air bag on the passenger
side, the Highway Safety Administration
recommends putting children under 12 in
the back seat.
Even without air bags, the back seat is at least
26 percent safer than the front seat because most
serious crashes involve the front of the vehicle.
HELPFUL HINT!
Before driving, we suggest a friendly family meeting at home where you explain to
children why the back seat is always reserved for them and why we all buckle up for
safety. This will avoid arguments when getting into the family car.
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Driving can be an enjoyable experience if you’re comfortable, calm, maybe
listening to your favorite music, and alert to but not tense about the constantly
changing traffic patterns. Even if you are within the law and doing what you
should be doing to drive safely and defensively, there may be others on the road
who, through anger or ignorance, create dangerous situations that you must
respond to.
THE RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR THE ROAD
In Oklahoma most of us must drive to get to work and back, to shop, and to
visit people in other areas of our cities and state. Once we get behind the wheel,
we have a personal—and legal—responsibility to ourselves, our families and
friends, and to the other people on the roads to keep a “right attitude” for driving.
The RIGHT ATTITUDE can help you, and others, stay safe and alive. Whether
you’re in a metropolitan area rush hour or driving a deserted rural highway, you
should maintain safety consciousness, a cooperative attitude, and a “readiness to
respond” to an emergency.
Right Attitudes for the Road—Alertness, Sharing, Giving, Self-Control
• Give your driving your full attention.
• Obey the law.
• Share the road with others and remember the Golden Rule.
• Be alert for potential collisions.
• Control your emotions so they don’t interfere with your driving.
• Give yourself a cushion of safety and allow others the same.
Psychology teaches us that when something happens, we react from a basic position or attitude, as a child, parent, or adult. The position we react from is often
a matter of habit.
“THE CHILD”
Reacts Emotionally
Carefree, rebellious, refuses
to follow rules.
Says: “I’m gonna drive the
way I want, no matter what
they say!” OR “I don’t care;
I’m having fun.”
“THE PARENT”
Reacts Critically
Criticizes others. Tries
to get others to do things
their way.
“THE ADULT”
Reacts Intelligently
Collects information, analyzes
a situation, makes a decision,
and acts accordingly.
Says: “You’re in the wrong
lane, and I’m going to see
that you learn better.”
Says: “That car’s going too
slow in the exit lane; I need
to move into the left lane and
get out of the way.”
The child and parent position can be dangerous and harmful to everyone. The
adult position takes the current situation into consideration, determines the best
course of action, and then takes it. If you find yourself reacting from the child or
parent position, you can change that habit and react as an adult instead. It takes
a conscious effort to (1) STOP your emotional or critical reaction, (2) THINK
to analyze the actual situation, and (3) REACT intelligently, according to the
information in front of you.
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DRIVING DEFENSIVELY
Collisions are costly in pain and disfigurement as well as in dollars. Here are
some defensive driving tips that can help you avoid getting into trouble in traffic
and on the road.
• Be thoroughly rested before starting a long drive.
• Don’t take any drugs that make you drowsy.
• Avoid driving when emotionally upset.
• Never drive more hours than in your normal workday.
•When driving long distances, beware of changing traffic patterns, road
conditions, and weather conditions. Make regular rest stops, even if you aren’t
tired. Stop when you get tired or sleepy.
• Be especially careful just before dark, when drivers can’t
see as well as in daylight.
• Avoid heavy meals or alcoholic beverages.
•Evasive action requires slightly more steering input
than changing lanes.
• Wait a few hours before driving to eliminate the effects
of alcohol on your judgment, reaction time, and vision.
• Keep your doors locked, especially with children in the car.
•Keep your speed not only within the law but always
reasonable and prudent for the existing conditions.
• Don’t lock the wheels when braking.
• Avoid stopping at the scene of a collision unless you have the
skills to help.
• Avoid artificial stimulants to keep awake. Stop and sleep.
• Drive as far to the right as possible when you meet a car with only one
headlight.
• Avoid overloading the car. Distribute the weight evenly.
• If you smoke or do anything else (changing tapes or CDs, using the phone)
while driving, train yourself to do it without taking your eyes off the road.
• Glance at your speedometer often; know your exact speed at all times.
• Make sure you see and that you are seen. Glance in your mirrors often.
• Obey all traffic rules and be prepared to adjust for driving errors of others.
• If you drive off the roadway, move slowly and carefully back on; don’t jerk
the wheel.
• To avoid emergency situations, keep your eyes moving, watch the traffic, and
look at objects far and near—left and right.
• Have a plan of action in case another driver does something stupid.
• Be forgiving: Drivers should protect each other from their own mistakes
I.P.D.E.—DRIVE DEFENSIVELY
I — Identify potential hazards.
P — Predict what could happen (always predict the worst).
D — Decide on a course of action.
E — Execute your decision.
Texting while driving is dangerous!
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ROAD RAGE
Aggressive driving—tailgating, honking, fist and hand
gestures, yelling, speeding, cutting off other drivers,
and more recently, the use of firearms—has become a
real danger on American highways. Drivers taking out
their stress and anger on other drivers have been called
“the fastest-growing menace on the highway today.”
Experts say there may be several reasons why road
rage is rising. We are all under more stress. A person
who is hostile and frustrated by traffic congestion
or problems on the job or at home gets in his car—
ready to fight. His car becomes an “ego-enhancer,”
and he uses it to dominate and intimidate others.
Maybe it’s impatience at crowded, slowed-down traffic conditions that makes
a driver speed and take risks. Some people “take a stand” on the highway and
won’t let other drivers pass them.
Because road rage is increasing every year, you must learn to protect yourself
against aggressive drivers. If you have a tendency to get irritated and angry
behind the wheel, you must learn to change your attitude and your behavior.
Otherwise, you are an accident looking for a place to happen. Law enforcement
and insurance companies are getting much tougher on aggressive drivers. They
simply cause too many collisions.
REAL VICTIMS OF ROAD RAGE
A driver tailgated a car. The other driver tried to get out of the way, but was
rammed from behind. She was seriously injured and her baby was killed.
Two drivers got into a driving duel, cutting each other off and chasing each other
for more than a mile, gesturing angrily. They collided, hitting a third car.
In a survey of California drivers, 50 percent said they had been the victim of
aggressive drivers 10 or more times, and 37 percent had been victimized more
than 20 times.
“I’ve heard about it,” a sales clerk said recently, “But we don’t really have that
problem here in Oklahoma.”
“It happened to me,” a customer said. “I was driving the speed limit on a twolane highway. This man was right behind me, hunched over the wheel. He was
so mad his face was red and all scrunched up. He wanted to pass me, but there
was too much traffic in the other lane. There wasn’t anything I could do, but he
kept it up for about five miles.
“At the stop sign, I waited for the cars to pass and looked in the rearview mirror.
He was pounding the steering wheel with his fists and glaring at me. Finally, he
passed me, yelling and shaking his fist at me as he went by. He cut right in front
of my car, driving so fast that his car fishtailed down the highway.
“I don’t know why he did that. I didn’t do anything to him.”
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WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STAY SAFE
•“Drive right” and reduce the chance of enraging a driver to strike out.
•Keep away from people who are “driving crazy.”
•Avoid eye contact with an aggressive driver.
•Stay cool—keep looking straight ahead and refuse to be part of the problem.
•Don’t join in the confrontation, even if it’s just honking your horn or glaring back.
Just get out of the way. Don’t make it worse:
Don’t make obscene gestures.
Don’t block passing or right-turn lanes.
Don’t tailgate.
Don’t use bright lights when following at night.
Don’t take more than one parking space.
Avoid bumping into another car when you open your car door.
•Drive defensively. Watch out for and avoid drivers who change lanes frequently.
•Keep your radio/stereo volume down at a reasonable level.
•Limit the use of your car phone to necessary calls.
•Don’t let talking on your car phone distract you.
•Don’t travel in the passing lane, and use signals when you change lanes.
•Don’t insist on your right-of-way if another driver challenges you.
•Don’t take traffic problems personally. Be polite, even when someone else is rude.
•If a driver follows you, go to a police station or a public place where you can
get help. If you are harassed on the road, get the offender’s license-tag number
and report the incident to the authorities.
“It’s important to understand that you can’t control the traffic, but you can
control your reaction to it. An impulsive action could ruin the rest of your life.”
—David Willis, President, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
Are you an aggressive driver? Do you tend to drive too fast, want to be first, want
to teach that bad driver a lesson, or keep that other car from getting by you?
You should recognize aggressive tendencies in yourself and learn how to overcome behavior that leads to unsafe driving. Otherwise, you may wind up losing
your driver license—or worse, losing your life.
Psychiatrist Dr. John Larson, himself once an aggressive driver, suggests ways
“to be less angry on the highway, making driving more pleasant, safer, and much
saner.” In his book, Steering Clear of Highway Madness, Dr. Larson says you
should learn to change your attitude about what you expect and need on the road.
For example, if you want to get even when people irritate you, you can replace
the desire for revenge with a more pleasant response. You might think about the
many varieties of people traveling and sharing the road with you. “Remember
the humanness we share,” says Dr. Larson, “and give others the benefit of the
doubt.”
Dr. Larson, The National Safety Council, The American Automobile Association,
and other organizations concerned about highway safety have developed some
techniques for reducing road rage.
DON’T GET MAD—GET BETTER!
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SUGGESTIONS FOR AVOIDING ROAD RAGE
• The speeder who must do everything in a hurry needs to learn to relax and to
concentrate on enjoying sounds, sights, smells—to concentrate on quality.
• Plan ahead—allow up to 50 percent more time for a trip of any length. Take
along favorite tapes and recorded books. Enjoy the trip.
• The competitor who always sees finish lines and goal posts must realize that
driving is not a game to be won. Concentrate on the pleasures of driving and
drive yourself healthy.
• Promise yourself to drive relaxed, within the speed limit, and pass only when
necessary. The change will surprise you.
• Don’t take someone else’s careless or thoughtless driving personally. Everyone
gets distracted and makes mistakes. Remember to relax and “mind your own
business” on the road.
• Keep cool.
• Decide to arrive alive and allow other drivers the same advantage.
Before you turn on your engine, turn off your anger!
WATCH OUT FOR “ACCIDENT MAKERS”
Good drivers think ahead. They not only watch the road but also the total traffic pattern. The smart driver is a defensive driver, looking out for “trouble in the making.”
Watch out for:
• Confusing traffic signs and signals.
• Exhaust fumes coming from a parked car, indicating it may pull out into traffic.
• An impatient driver ahead or behind, nosing out around a car and then cutting
in sharply.
• A driver distracted by something and not watching the road.
• A bad driver who speeds up to beat changing signal lights or runs through stop
signs or lights.
• A pedestrian crossing or about to cross the street in front of you.
• Children playing near the street.
• A slight movement at a street-side door of a parked car, indicating that someone may step out of the car.
Most collisions are caused by human error.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A COLLISION
Any time you’re involved in a collision, you must:
1.Stop immediately. Don’t ever leave the scene of a collision. If you do, you may
be prosecuted for “hit and run.”
2.Find out if anyone has been hurt and do what you can to help. Don’t try to move
an injured person unless it’s a life-or-death necessity (if the car’s on fire, for
example). Movement might make the injuries worse.
3.Call or have someone call 911 or the police as soon as possible. Be sure that
the police get your exact location. Give all the information you can: type of
collision, how many people are involved, how many are hurt, and what type of
injuries, etc. Stay on the line until the emergency operator has finished asking
you questions and hangs up first.
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4.Exchange the following information with the driver of all other vehicles
involved:
nName and address of the driver AND the car owner, if different
nDriver license number
nVehicle registration number
nInsurance information—company name, agent, policy number and effective
dates (your insurance company will ask you for this information).
5.Accidents that do not involve injury or death—The owner or operator of
a vehicle or its cargo that obstructs the regular flow of traffic shall make
every reasonable effort to remove the obstructing vehicle or cargo from
the roadway so the regular flow of traffic is not blocked. This shall not
apply to vehicles transporting “hazardous materials.”
6.Remain calm and be polite. Don’t blame other people or accept blame, and
don’t discuss the accident. Wait for the law enforcement officer and answer
questions truthfully and calmly.
If the collision involves a parked
car or other property and you
can’t locate the owner, leave
your name and address on the
damaged property where the
owner will find it.
The investigating officer will
complete a report and place it on
file. You should contact your
insurance company as soon as possible, report the accident, and provide the
required information. You should keep a copy of all collision report forms.
If there is personal injury or death or, if the damage to any vehicle or property is
over $300, and if all the parties involved have not reached a settlement within six
months, you must file an Oklahoma Motor Vehicle Collision Report. Be sure
you report the exact date and location of the collision. The form is available from
the investigating officer, or you can contact any highway patrol, local police, or
sheriff’s office. This state report is in addition to any reports required by a city.
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Traffic signs give you information about the road, the highway system, traffic
flow, and the local regulations and laws. They warn you about hazards, identify
your route, and direct the speed and movement of traffic. They provide directions
and let you know about places of interest, from the huge overhead green interstate
signs to the little blue rectangles that direct you to a library or hospital.
The shapes and colors of traffic signs have specific meanings and you should be
able to recognize them immediately. Even if a stop sign is damaged or blocked by
dirt or snow, you know by the octagonal shape and red color that you must stop.
Learn the standard colors and shapes so you know what a sign means, even at a
distance. For example, a rectangle is always a regulatory sign, telling you about
laws and regulations or giving you instructions. Speed limit signs are regulatory.
In accordance with 47 OS 69-1213, obstructing or damaging roads, defacing,
damaging, destroying, or removing any traffic control device, road sign board,
guide sign or sign post is a misdemeanor. If the action results in personal injury to
or death of any person, the person or persons responsible for such action shall be
guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than two years and a
fine of $1,000, or both such fine and imprisonment.
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5-1
STOP
-
STOP: RED OCTAGON — Come to a complete stop at the
intersection. You must stop before the pedestrian crosswalk,
even if it isn’t marked. Stay stopped until the way is clear in
all directions.
4-WAY or ALL WAY: RED RECTANGLE — Added below
a stop sign, means all traffic approaching this intersection
must stop.
YIELD: RED AND WHITE TRIANGLE — Slow down
and be ready to stop, if needed. Let oncoming vehicles pass
before crossing or entering the flow of traffic.
“NO”: RED CIRCLE WITH A LINE THROUGH IT —
Means “DO NOT” or “NOT ALLOWED.”
REGULATORY SIGNS—
BLACK AND WHITE RECTANGLES
Regulatory signs tell you what you must do and what you must
not do. They direct and control, or “regulate” traffic for everyone’s
safety. You are required to obey them just like other traffic laws.
When you see the “School Zone” sign, you must reduce your
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speed to the limit shown when the yellow light is flashing. Watch
carefully for children and be ready to stop.
The signs shown here are the most common regulatory signs. There
are many more and they can be found on all roadways from turnpikes to unpaved county roads. When you see rectangular signs,
always obey them for your own safety and the safety of others.
Must turn left.
Lane 1 must go left.
Lane 2 is optional,
either left or straight
ahead.
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Lane 1 must go
straight ahead. Lane
2 is optional, either
straight ahead or right.
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No turns from
this lane.
OR
Enter this lane only
to make a left turn.
You must not pass
in this lane.
Speed limit sign. This
is the highest speed
you can travel under
ideal conditions.
Keep right of an object
or center divider.
The roadway ahead
is for one-way traffic
coming toward you.
Do not drive into it.
No right turn.
Do not pass. Do not cross yellow
lines. You can’t see far enough
ahead to pass safely.
No trucks.
No U- turn. Don’t turn
around in the street
or intersection.
No bicycles.
International Symbols for the Disabled
PARKING
Practice driving courtesy and obey the law. Do not park or stop your vehicle in a parking space
reserved for disabled people unless you have a disabled license plate or windshield identification card.
(See page 10--4 for instructions on how to apply for a permit, license, or ID card.)
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WARNING SIGNS—BLACK ON A YELLOW
BACKGROUND
Warning signs are diamond-shaped, with a yellow background
and black letters. They signal conditions immediately ahead,
such as road hazards, changes in direction, or other situations.
Stop sign ahead. When you see a warning sign, be prepared to use extra caution
Be ready to stop. or to make changes as you drive.
Traffic control signal
ahead. Be prepared
to stop.
Divided highway ends
ahead. Be careful as you
approach the point where
two-way begins again.
Divided highway ahead
with a center strip (median). Keep to the right.
Road ahead makes a
gentle curve (to the
right). Slow down,
keep right, don’t pass.
Vehicles or loads higher
than the clearance shown
can’t go through the
underpass.
Two-way traffic ahead.
Drive in the right-hand
lane and expect oncoming
traffic in the left-hand lane.
Crossroad. Another road
crosses the highway up
ahead. Look right and left
for other traffic.
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Slippery when wet. Slow
down. To help avoid skids,
avoid sudden turns,
acceleration or stops.
Brake gently.
Two roadways come
together ahead with a
new lane added. You do
not have to merge (form
one line), but watch for
traffic in the new lane.
A side road enters the
highway up ahead.
Watch for traffic from
that direction.
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The road curves one
way (right) and then
the other way (left).
Slow down, keep
right, don’t pass.
Road ahead makes a sharp
turn in the direction of the
arrow (right). Slow down,
keep right, and don’t pass.
Merge. Other traffic may
be moving into your lane.
Be ready to change your
speed and lane so other
drivers can merge safely.
Winding road ahead.
Drive slowly and carefully and do not pass.
The road surface is loose
gravel and dangerous.
Slow down. Increase following distance. Do not
brake suddenly or make
sharp turns.
You can skid or lose
control. Slow down
before the bridge and
be careful.
Pedestrian Crossing. Slow Right lane ends ahead.
down and prepare to stop. Prepare to merge.
Watch both sides of the
street. You must yield.
School Zone
Traffic can pass on
There is a low place on the
either side of a traffic
road. Slow down to keep
island or an obstruction. control and to avoid an
uncomfortable jolt.
Stop sign ahead. Be prepared to stop.
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School Crossing
The dirt on the side of
the pavement is soft and
can be dangerous. Use
extreme caution and
stay on the pavement.
Steep hill ahead. All drivers
approach with caution.You
may want to use a lower
gear to slow your vehicle.
Bicycle Crossing
Deer Crossing
Farm Machinery
There are many other signs similar to these warning of activities and potential
hazards on or near the roadway. Watch both sides of the road. Be prepared to
slow down and/or stop.
5-5
Trucks entering or cross- Two-lane narrow bridge or Reduce speed. Two
ing the highway ahead.
cars can pass but with
culvert ahead. Approach
Slow down and watch for with caution.
caution.
trucks.
Pavement changes to
dirt or low-grade
surface. Slow down.
BUMP
Two roads cross.
Look right and left;
be prepared to stop.
Sharp drop from the
pavement edge to the
shoulder. If you must
leave the pavement, slow
down and steer firmly.
Reflector placed in front
of objects close to the
edge of the road, such as
culverts or center piers
on divided highways.
Night-time reflector
that shows where
the road lies (road
alignment).
“T” intersection ahead. You must turn
right or left. Be prepared to yield.
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The pavement has been
grooved to reduce slippery surface when wet.
Motorcyclist should
use caution.
Reflector placed in front
of an obstruction and at
short changes in road
alignment.
Reflector placed on
the end-rails on narrow
bridges or on other
obstructions to make
them stand out.
5-6
There is a high place
on the road. Slow down
to maintain control and
to avoid an uncomfortable jolt.
Crossing for Disabled.
Slow down and watch
both sides of the street.
The road ahead curves sharply.
Slow down, keep right, and
don’t pass.
Pass to the left
Pass to the right
Stripes sloping downward to the right mean bear to the right. Stripes sloping
downward to the left mean bear to the left.The diagonal stripes on a warning
sign or barricade show the direction in which the traffic is to pass.
RAILROAD WARNING SIGNS—ROUND YELLOW & BLACK SIGN OR
BLACK & WHITE CROSSBUCKS
This advance warning sign lets you know you are approaching railroad tracks. Slow down and be prepared to stop
within 15-50 feet of the first track. If your view is blocked
in either direction, drive very slowly until you can see down
the track. If you see a train coming—STOP!
School buses, church buses, motor coaches, and any vehicles
hauling explosives or flammable liquids are required by law to
stop. Do not pass a vehicle that is required to stop at a railroad crossing except when
driving on a multilane highway.
Railroad crossbucks. Crossbuck signs are posted
at most crossings. Always slow down, look,
listen, and be prepared to yield the right-of-way
to an oncoming train.
If there is more than one track,
a sign will show the number of
tracks at that crossing.
Flashing lights on a crossbuck mean that a train is coming.
Always stop when the lights are flashing. Remain stopped until
the train has passed. If there is more than one track,
be sure all tracks are clear before crossing.
Crossbuck with flashing lights and gate. Stop when the lights begin
flashing and before the gate comes down. Remain stopped until the
gates are raised and the lights stop flashing.
See pages 11-6 through 11-10 for
important information about sharing
the road with trains.
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5-7
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE SIGNS—
ORANGE = WORK ZONE = DANGER
The color orange tells you that you are nearing or in
a work zone. Signs, barricades, and lane-channeling
devices— such as cones and barrels—are placed to direct
you through the work zone safely and protect workers and
flagpersons. Most signs are diamond-shaped, but some
are rectangular.
Construction sites can be hazardous. You must
slow down to the posted speed. Speeding
fines are doubled in a construction or
maintenance zone when workers or
equipment are present.
Pay attention. Be prepared to:
n Slow or stop
n Change lanes
n Follow instructions n React quickly
Flashing arrow panels guide you into the proper traffic lane.
Move left
Lane closed
Flagpersons are used in cases of extreme hazard. They stand in the road and wear
orange hats and orange vests, shirts, or jackets. They hold red signs or flags to
direct traffic. The law demands that you obey them.
STOP
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Stop
Go
• When instructed to stop, stop in your lane. Don’t veer right or left.
• Do not attempt to move forward until the flagperson signals you to go.
• Proceed with caution. Expect workers and machinery, and be prepared to slow
or stop.
• Always be on the lookout for oncoming cars and trucks in your lane.
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5-8
Channeling Devices
Used to direct traffic flow.
PENALTY FOR FAILING TO OBEY SIGNS, SIGNALS, AND MARKINGS
On conviction—up to $100 fine and/or up to 30 days in jail plus liability for
damage to property and injury or death of another person.
Speeding fines are doubled in construction and maintenance zones when
workers or equipment are present.
GUIDE SIGNS—GREEN, WHITE, OR BROWN
Guide signs give you travel information. They identify highways, show distances,
mark exits, point to parks and recreation areas, and more.
Indicates an officially designated highway that branches off the
regularly numbered highway and goes through the
business portion of the city.
Mileposts provide a means of identifying the location of
accidents, breakdowns, or other emergencies. Mileposts
mark every mile on interstate highways starting at the
state line. Numbering on north-south highways starts at
the southern line and on east-west highways at the western line.
Green interstate guide signs are usually mounted overhead. The arrows
show the lane or lanes to be used to follow a certain highway.
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5-9
SERVICE SIGNS—BLUE
Service signs give information and directions about
facilities. They show where service stations, restaurants,
and motels are available.
Watch for the litter barrel sign. It’s the only lawful place
on the highway where you can throw trash. Litter barrels
are located at all rest and picnic areas and all turnpike
toll stations.
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OKLAHOMA
KEEP OUR LAND GRAND!
Slow Moving Vehicle Emblem
TRAFFIC SIGNALS
Traffic signals control the movement of vehicles This emblem is used on Slow
and pedestrians at intersections. They Moving Vehicles (SMVs) such as
eliminate the guesswork about who agricultural equipment, highway and
goes next by granting the right-of-way roadside construction equipment,
and highway maintenance equipment
in each direction. You must obey traf- traveling on public highways at
fic signals, except when an officer is speeds of 25 MPH or less.
directing traffic. Then you must obey
the traffic officer at all times.
Adjust your speed as you approach an intersection so that you can slow
down or stop if the light changes. Even though you may have the green
light, always put safety first and yield the right-of-way if yielding will prevent a
collision, even if the other person is wrong.
DID YOU KNOW?
Color-blind people know the color by the position of the lights: Red on top—
Yellow in the middle—Green on the bottom.
Green Light: Go—You can cross the intersection or turn except
where turns are not allowed. Be sure the intersection is clear before
you start, and watch out for drivers who try to race through the intersection to beat a red light.
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Yellow Light: Steady—Warning! The light is about to turn red! You
must stop if you can stop safely before entering the crosswalk at the
intersection. Adjust your speed as you approach so that you can come
to a smooth stop if needed. Don’t speed up to beat the light. Enter the
intersection carefully. Collisions often happen here.
Watch out for drivers who try to beat the light and race through the
intersection!
Red Light: Stop!—Come to a complete stop before entering the
crosswalk or intersection. You must remain stopped until the light
turns green.
After coming to a complete stop, you may turn right on red and you
may turn left from a one-way street into a one-way street unless there
are signs forbidding the turn. When you turn, you must yield to all
pedestrians and vehicles using the intersection, including bicycles.
Green Arrows: Turn—When the green arrow is lit, you may turn in
the direction of the arrow, even when the red light is still on. If you
are in a turning-only lane, you must wait for the arrow. You can only
make the turn indicated by the arrow unless there are signs with other
information. If there are turning lanes, you must be in the proper lane
to make the turn.
Enter the intersection cautiously. You must yield to pedestrians in the
crosswalk and to other vehicles legally in the intersection.
Flashing Red Light: Stop!—Used at dangerous intersections where the crossing traffic may or may not stop. A
flashing red light means the same as a stop sign: You may go
when it’s safe to cross the intersection.
Flashing Yellow Light: Caution!—Slow down, look in both
directions, and drive slowly and carefully through the intersection. Be prepared to stop.
PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS
“Walk” and “Don’t Walk” signs are used only to direct and protect the safety of
people crossing the intersection on foot or in wheelchairs. Pedestrians should
obey these signs, if present, instead of the traffic signal.
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5-11
Leave the curb to
cross the street.
Do not leave the curb.
“Flashing” — Don’t leave the curb, but
continue if already in the intersection.
LANE CONTROL SIGNALS
Red—Steady
Don’t use lane.
Yellow—Steady
Clear the lane.
Flashing, left turn
permitted.
Green—Steady
Lane open for traffic.
PAVEMENT MARKINGS
Pavement markings regulate traffic.
Yellow and white pavement markings show you:
• Which lane you should be using.
• Where visibility is limited and passing is dangerous.
• Where traffic is traveling toward you in the next lane.
• Where you may safely wait for an opportunity to make a left turn.
Yellow broken line:
Two-lane, two-way
traffic, passing permitted.
Yellow solid line in your lane: DO NOT PASS
Two-lane, two-way
Two-lane, two-way
traffic. No passing
traffic. No passing for
in either direction.
traffic in the right lane
Cross the center line
(solid line in that lane).
only to turn left.
See pages 7-1 through 7-2 for more important information about lane markings
on multilane roadways.
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5-12
“Right-of-way” laws help create a safe, smooth traffic flow. In
intersections and other places where vehicles and pedestrians
can’t all cross at the same time, right-of-way laws control who
can go forward and who must yield, or wait. These laws also
help establish legal fault in a collision or if a pedestrian is hurt.
The right-of-way laws apply to all people and all vehicles,
including bicyclists.
Always put safety first. When other people don’t follow the rules of right-of-way,
you should yield—even if the right-of-way belongs to you—when there is a possibility of damage or injury.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Drive cautiously and defensively. Drive friendly.
Think of the right-of-way as something to be given, not taken.
Right-of-way should be determined by each driver before entering an intersection. If you have the right-of-way and another driver yields it to you, proceed
immediately.
Make sure the other driver sees you. Make eye contact.
YOU MUST YIELD TO CHILDREN PLAYING IN THE STREETS
In crowded downtown areas and in suburban neighborhoods, children play in
the streets because there may not be parks or playgrounds nearby. Even though
they have been told not to run into the street, children won’t always put safety
ahead of a runaway puppy or a bouncing ball. Children on bicycles can easily
forget to slow down before entering an intersection or to signal and look behind
before they turn.
You are responsible for driving with extreme caution when children are present.
Slow down near schools and playgrounds and in residential areas. The cost of
hitting a child is very high—in dollars, grief, and guilt.
YOU MUST YIELD TO BLIND PERSONS
Drivers must give the right-of-way to any blind person crossing the street. Blind
pedestrians will normally have a guide dog or will be using a cane. The cane
may be all white, white with a red tip, or chrome. The person will tap it on the
pavement ahead. The law says you should:
n Stop immediately and let the person pass.
n Stop outside the crosswalk, not in the crosswalk.
n A vehicle must stop 15 feet away for a blind person in the roadway or at an
intersection.
See page 11-1 for important information on sharing the road with pedestrians.
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6-1
YOU MUST ALWAYS YIELD:
• When entering or crossing highways without traffic signs or signals—Stop and
yield to approaching traffic and go only when it’s safe to do so.
• When you have a stop sign—Stop before the crosswalk. Yield to pedestrians and to
vehicles in or approaching the intersection. Cross or turn when it’s safe to do so.
•At intersections with yield signs—Slow
down to a reasonable speed, and be ready
to stop if other vehicles or pedestrians are
approaching the intersection. Cross or enter
the flow of traffic when it’s safe to do so.
• To pedestrians—Yield to people crossing the
roadway, whether the crosswalk is marked or
unmarked. Be especially alert in school zones
and high-traffic pedestrian areas.
•When making a left turn—Yield to all
oncoming traffic. Slow down and stop if
you have to. Go only when there is enough
clear distance for you to turn without interfering with oncoming traffic.
• When entering or crossing a public road
from a private road, alley, driveway, or
building—stop before the sidewalk or
crosswalk, then go when it’s safe to do so.
•To emergency vehicles—Yield to police cars,
fire engines, and ambulances when they are
sounding a siren and/or flashing warning lights.
Pull over to the right edge of the roadway, clear
of intersections, and stop until the emergency
vehicle has passed. In heavy traffic when you
can’t pull over, clear a path for the vehicle.
•If an officer signals you to stop while you’re
driving in the left lane, you must still pull over
to the right shoulder, even if that means crossing several lanes of traffic. (See “Changing
Lanes,” page 7-2, to learn how to change lanes
safely.)
• You don’t have to yield for emergency vehicles
without warning lights or sirens.
• You must move to the left lane on a 4-lane road
when there is an emergency vehicle on the right
shoulder.
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RIGHT OF WAY AT INTERSECTIONS
At four-way-stop intersections and at intersections without stop signs or signals, the car or
truck that entered the intersection first has the
right-of-way. When two vehicles approach at
the same time, the driver on the left yields to the
driver on the right as shown.
6-2
CROSSING AN INTERSECTION
More collisions and injuries occur at intersections than at any other place. Always
slow down, look both ways, and look left again before you enter an intersection.
Slow down before you enter, then increase your speed until you’ve cleared the
intersection. DO NOT slow down while you’re turning or crossing!
If your view is blocked so that you can’t see traffic on the side street, slow down
so that you can stop if a car is coming.
If traffic is stopped and is blocking an intersection, stop before reaching the
crosswalk and wait for the traffic to move.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Most drivers are polite, cooperative, and safety conscious. The few who drive
with an aggressive, selfish attitude can make driving dangerous for the rest of
us. Many collisions at intersections could have been avoided if one of the drivers
had been more cautious and willing to yield the right-of-way.
YIELD RIGHT-OF-WAY TO A SCHOOL OR CHURCH BUS
Drive carefully and be ready to slow down and stop when you are near a school
bus. If you approach a bus with flashing red lights and/or showing a red “STOP”
sign, it means that children are getting on or off the bus and you must stop.
Fines are doubled
for failing to stop
for a school bus
with red loading/
unloading lights
flashing.
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6-3
You must stop and remain stopped until
n the bus has started moving, OR
n the driver motions for you to proceed, OR
n the red flashing lights go off and/or the sign is pulled back.
You DON’T have to stop for a school bus when
n the bus is on a different roadway, OR
n the bus is stopped in a loading zone by a controlled-access highway where
pedestrians are not allowed to cross.
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6-4
A lane is a part of a roadway wide enough for a car or a single line of vehicles to
travel safely. Most lanes on hard-surfaced roads are marked with white or yellow
lines. On dirt or gravel roads, some rural roads, private drives and other roadways,
the lanes may not be marked, but they are there anyway. You are expected to drive
in the proper lane at all times, whether the lane is marked or not.
Yellow Dashes—Traffic moves in opposite
directions on each side of the line. Passing
is permitted when it’s safe.
White Dashes—Traffic moves in the same
direction on each side of the white dashes.
Passing is permitted when it’s safe.
Solid Yellow Lines—Traffic moves in
opposite directions on each side of the
line. Solid yellow lines tell you two things:
(1) if a solid yellow line is on the left, you
are on the proper side of the road, and (2)
if you cross that line, there’s a danger from
approaching vehicles or from obstacles in
the median. Single or double solid yellow
lines mean DO NOT PASS. You may
cross the line to turn left.
Solid White Line—Traffic moves in the same direction on each side of the line, but
passing is hazardous, as when you’re approaching an intersection or merge area.
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7-1
2 Lanes—Two-lane highways have a single broken yellow centerline. You should
always drive to the right of the centerline, except to pass, when you can pass safely.
3 Lanes—Three-lane highways have two lanes for traffic flowing in opposite
directions. Drivers from either direction may use the center lane for left turns.
Enter this center lane only to make a left turn. You must not pass in this lane.
Center lane Marking: One solid yellow line on each side and yellow dash lines
on the inside of the solid yellow lines. This lane is not to be used for passing.
4 Lanes—A four-lane highway is divided in half by two solid yellow lines in the
center. The two lanes on each side are divided by a dashed white line.
CHANGING LANES
Never change lanes until you are sure it’s safe.
• Watch for clearance ahead and behind.
• Check your rearview mirrors.
• Signal your intention to change lanes.
• Look over your shoulder in the direction
you will be moving.
• Look behind you to both sides again.
• Check your blind spots.
• Stay clear of the blind spots of the vehicle
ahead of you.
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7-2
When a driver ahead of you signals a lane change, slow down and leave space
for the change.
EXPRESSWAY DRIVING
Oklahoma has many miles of limited-access highways, designed for safe,
uninterrupted travel at higher speeds. There are no stop signs, traffic signals, or
railroad crossings. Freeways, toll roads, throughways, turnpikes, and expressways
usually have no steep hills or sharp curves that limit your view
of the road ahead. “Limited access” or “controlled
access” means that you enter
or leave the roadway only at
entrances and exits, called
interchanges, without ever
crossing the path of other
traffic. Many interchanges
have places to get food, gas,
and lodging.
Driving on controlled-access highways is different—and much safer—than
driving on noncontrolled-access highways. The rules for driving on these roads
are different, too.
Speed
•If your car is not in good condition or if you can’t or don’t
want to drive at or above the minimum speed limit, don’t use
the expressway.
•Drive between the minimum (usually 40 mph) and maximum
(55-75 mph) speed limits. Driving too slowly is against the
law because it’s dangerous. Always drive at a safe speed for
the conditions, such as traffic flow, rain, snow, etc.
•Maintain a constant speed. Don’t speed up or slow down without good reason.
•Adjust your speed and lane to allow others to enter the freeway safely.
•Move to the right to allow vehicles driving faster than you to pass.
Use the Proper Lane
•Use the right-hand lane when you’re driving slower than the other traffic.
•Use the middle or left-hand lane if you are traveling faster than the other traffic.
•Stay in the middle of your lane. You can change lanes when necessary, but don’t
weave in and out of traffic. Changing lanes back and forth doesn’t get you there
faster.
•Do not travel alongside other vehicles at the same speed. Avoid cars moving in
packs. Stay out of other drivers’ blind spots. Change speed and/or lanes so that
you don’t block the normal flow of traffic.
Avoid Collisions—Drive with Caution
•As far as possible, plan your entrance, direction, and exit.
•Stay 3 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you. Allow 4 seconds in bad weather.
•Watch 15-20 seconds ahead for cars braking, entering, and exiting.
•Observe all highway signs. If you are going to exit, move to the exit lane as
early as possible.
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•Never turn around on the expressway. Do not, under any conditions, cross the
median or divider to turn your car around on a controlled-access highway. Keep
driving to the next exit, get off, and re-enter the highway in the other direction.
Stopping
•If you have a breakdown, an emergency, or have to stop for some reason, signal, then pull off to the extreme right shoulder away from moving traffic where
it’s safe. Turn on your emergency flashers.
•If you need help, raise your hood and tie a white cloth to the hood or radio antenna.
•When you are out of your car, never walk near the roadway. Keep children
away from the traffic.
Entering the Expressway (See drawing)
•You must yield to vehicles already on the expressway.
•Enter in the acceleration lane and stay to the right. Adjust your speed and watch
the traffic.
•Signal left and when it’s safe, merge into the proper lane.
Leaving the Expressway (See drawing)
•Move to the proper lane well in advance of the exit, especially in heavy traffic.
•Maintain your speed at the flow of traffic until you reach the exit.
•Signal right at least 100 feet before the exit.
• Slow down on the deceleration lane or exit ramp and keep slowing down until
you reach the posted speed limit. Check your speedometer.
WRONG
25
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PASSING
HB 1368 which amends 47:11-309 requires drivers on multilane highways to
remain in the right lane unless they are passing other vehicles. It does not apply
to those driving in the far-left lane because of traffic conditions (i.e., vehicles
stopped on the side of the road) or road configuration.
Getting there late is better than not getting there at all.
Passing on the left
1.Do not move to the left until you are sure you can do it safely. Check ahead
for at least 200 feet of clear roadway without a “No Passing Zone.”
2.As you get ready to pass, especially a large truck or bus, never get so close
that the vehicle blocks your view of the road ahead. Follow at a safe distance
until you can see far enough ahead to pass safely.
3.Be sure that no other car is passing or is about to pass your car at the same time.
Check your rearview mirror and look over your shoulder to check your blind
spots.
4.Signal for a left turn, and when clear, move into the left lane.
5.Pass the car ahead and don’t return to the right lane until you can see that car
in the rearview mirror.
6.Signal, and pull into the right lane. Turn off your signal when you’re in the lane.
Passing on the right
You may overtake and pass on the right when:
•The road is wide enough for two or more lanes in each direction, and there are
no parked cars or other obstructions on the roadway.
•You are on a one-way road.
•The vehicle in front of you is making or about to make a left turn. You may
never legally pass on the right by driving off the pavement or main portion of
the highway.
No Passing Zones
You MUST NOT PASS:
•When the solid yellow line is in your lane, whether there are two yellow lines
or a single solid line and a dashed line.
•On hills or curves, even if the road is not marked.
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DO NOT PASS within 100 feet of an obstructed view or if vehicles or pedestrians might cross your path. Watch for bridges, viaducts, tunnels, overpasses,
railroad crossings, intersections, and crosswalks.
When someone is passing you:
1.Keep everyone safe—help the other driver pass you.
2.Stay in your lane, and move right if being passed on the left.
3.Don’t increase your speed. If a car approaches from the other direction while
you’re being passed, slow down and let the passing driver pull in front of you.
TURNING
In 2008, there were 4,813 collisions caused by drivers who made improper or
illegal turns. To beginning drivers, turning seems simple, but it’s more difficult
than you think because it requires (1) paying attention in all directions at once,
(2) planning and preparation, and (3) good timing.
Turn Signals — Your turn signals are used to inform and warn other drivers
that you intend to turn left or right, change lanes, slow down, pull off or onto
the roadway, or stop. Your signal helps protect you and enables other drivers to
adjust to your moves.
It is illegal to turn without signalling. You should signal for at least 100 feet or
1/3 of a block before you turn, slow down, or stop.
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You can use the turn indicators on your car, or you can use arm signals. When
you use arm signals, bring your arm in during the actual turn to keep control of
the steering wheel.
Making a Turn —There are six steps in making a good turn. Study the diagrams
on how to make right and left turns (page 7-8). Learn the six steps and the diagrams. They will help you avoid costly collisions and injuries.
Do:
1.Signal what you intend to do.
2.Look behind and on both sides to see where other vehicles are, so you can
change lanes and make the turn safely.
3.Move into the correct lane as soon as possible. The faster the traffic is moving,
the sooner you should move into the proper lane.
4.If you are going too fast to make the turn safely, slow down before you reach
the stop line or crosswalk. Select the proper gear before entering the intersection and accelerate slightly through the turn. Don’t brake or depress the clutch
while actually turning. Don’t shift gears in the intersection.
5.Make the turn correctly. It will be easy if you are in the proper lane and driving
slowly enough when you start the turn.
6.Finish the turn in the proper lane.
Don’t:
• Don’t turn unless the turn is permitted and can be made easily.
• Don’t try to turn from the wrong lane. If you aren’t in the proper lane, drive
to the next intersection and make the turn from the proper lane there. Circle
back if you have to.
• Left turns—Don’t turn the steering wheel to the left while waiting for oncoming traffic to pass. If you are hit from the rear while your wheels are turned,
the impact can push you right into oncoming cars. Wait until you are sure you
can complete the turn before turning the wheels.
Making a Left Turn—Turn when the oncoming traffic is clear and watch
behind you for cars trying to pass you while you’re turning.
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BACKING
Backing is more difficult for the beginner
than driving forward because the field of
vision is blocked by the car itself, and it’s
harder to control speed and direction. You
will need a lot of practice to keep absolute
control of the car or truck. Backing out of a
parking place requires you to look in both
directions and double-check for cars and
pedestrians.
To back up, look over your right shoulder
so you can see through the back window.
Never use the rearview mirror for backing up.
Always go slowly, watching carefully in all directions.
Back slowly into the lane closest to you for the direction you’ll be going. Don’t
back any further than you have to.
Never back into an intersection in order to turn around. It’s much safer to drive
around the block.
SAFETY TIP
Always check behind your car for bikes, tricycles, and even small children BEFORE
you get into your car. This is especially important for vans and pickups.
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THE BASIC SPEED RULE
Consider all the conditions that affect your driving, drive at a speed that is safe
for those conditions, and be able to stop without hitting anyone.
THE LAW SAYS
No motor vehicle shall be driven at a speed greater than is careful and prudent
and not greater than or less than is reasonable and proper, having due regard
to the traffic, surface and width of the highway and of any other conditions then
existing. No person shall drive any vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater
than will permit him to stop within the assured clear distance ahead.
The Basic Speed Rule does not set an exact speed limit but means that the speed
you may drive is limited by the current conditions. For example, the posted speed
limit is 65 mph, but if you’re driving at night on a two-lane state highway, it’s
raining, or it’s very foggy, 65 mph is too fast for those conditions.
The Basic Speed Rule
• Your speed must be careful and prudent (using skill and good judgment).
• Your speed must be reasonable and proper, not too fast and not too slow, for
the conditions:
Amount of traffic—how many cars on the road
Speed of traffic—how fast or slow it’s moving
Whether pedestrians are present—especially children in school zones
Surface of the road—rough or smooth, paved, gravel, etc.
Width of the road—one-lane, two-lane, four-lane
Structure of the road—straight, curving, bridges, narrow shoulders, etc.
Visibility—how far ahead you can see clearly
Weather and air conditions—rain, snow, ice, fog, smoke, dust, etc.
Your own driving ability
• You must not drive so slowly that you block, hinder, or interfere with other
vehicles moving at normal speeds.
• Your speed must be adjusted to conditions so you can stop within a clear distance ahead.
Suppose you are driving in a line of downtown traffic and the car ahead of you
stops suddenly. If you can’t stop in time to avoid hitting that car from behind, you
are either breaking the “Basic Speed Rule”—even if you were driving within the
posted speed limit—or following too closely.
MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR VIOLATING THE BASIC SPEED RULE
Upon conviction of speeding, you may be fined up to $384.90 and sentenced to
30 days in jail. Fines double in school and construction zones when workers
or equipment arer present.
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SPEED LIMITS
Under state law—unless otherwise posted—and under normal conditions, you
may drive at the speeds listed in the chart below:
STATE SPEED LIMITS
Unless otherwise posted
Four-lane divided and super two-lane highways
Turnpikes
Two-lane highways
County roads
Highways within state parks or wildlife refuges
Other roads in state parks or wildlife refuges
School zones on any highway outside of a municipality
in a properly marked zone
70 mph
75 mph
65 mph
55 mph
45 mph
35 mph
25 mph
VERY IMPORTANT: CAREFULLY OBSERVE AND OBEY
ALL POSTED SPEED LIMITS
Under state law, cities and towns can set their own speed limits. These limits
will change according to the zones. Watch carefully and obey speed limit signs
in business, residential, and school zones.
NIGHT DRIVING
Night driving presents a serious danger, especially on poorly lighted highways
and country roads. The distance that you can see clearly is greatly reduced. Darkcolored animals, dark objects on the road, or people walking or riding bikes and
dressed in dark clothing will be hard to see.
You should reduce your speed at night and adjust to the road and weather conditions. Don’t overdrive your lights—adjust your speed so you can stop within the
distance you can see. You should consider how powerful your lights are and how
responsive your brakes are. As soon as you see pedestrians, animals, or objects
on the road in front of you, you must be able to stop before you hit them. If you
are overdriving your lights, you will not be able to stop in time.
Don’t wear sunglasses or colored glasses when driving at night or on dark
days. Glare from oncoming headlights, billboard and advertising lights, and in
some conditions, from street lights, can interfere with your night driving vision
because your eyes take longer to adjust. Colored lenses cause your eyes to
adjust even more slowly and can reduce your vision.
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STOPPING DISTANCES
There is no sure way to tell exactly how long it will take you to stop at a certain
speed. Your stopping distance depends on:
n Your own reaction time.
n Weather and road conditions.
n The weight of your vehicle.
n The condition of your brakes.
There are three steps in stopping your vehicle—perception, reaction, and braking.
PERCEPTION, REACTION, AND BRAKING TIME
Step
Time
Explanation
Perception
About .5 seconds
See/hear danger
Reaction
About .66 seconds
Brain tells foot to brake
Braking/stopping
Depends on speed
Press brake until car stops
Suppose you’re driving on the turnpike at night, exceeding the speed limit at 80
mph. A deer suddenly appears in your headlights. Will you be able to stop in time?
It will take 1.16 seconds for you to see the deer and move your foot to the brake.
Before you even start to brake, you will have traveled 140 feet. If you’re on a
good road in good weather, the braking distance at 80 mph will be 320 feet. Your
total stopping distance is 460 feet, longer than one-and-a half football fields!
Can you stop in time? Probably not. Why not? Because at 80 mph, you are overdriving your headlights—you can’t stop your car within the distance you can see.
The following chart shows you the estimated distance your car will travel under
ideal conditions, from the time you see danger until you come to a stop.
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BRAKING
You should apply your brakes slowly and evenly. With a standard transmission,
you can use your gearshift to slow down when you’re approaching a stop sign
or signal. First, flash your brake lights to signal the car behind you, then shift
down to a lower gear.
Braking Under Emergency Conditions
STANDARD BRAKES
Maximum braking comes just before the wheels lock and stop rotating. Too much
pressure on the brake pedal will lock the wheels and the vehicle will skid.
ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEMS (ABS)
Braking techniques for stopping safely and avoiding skids are different from
those for standard brakes. If your car is equipped with an ABS, read the owner’s
manual for instructions on maximum braking.
NOTE: These instructions are for standard braking systems.
• Flat tire or blowout—Take your foot off the gas pedal and apply your brakes
cautiously. NEVER brake suddenly.
• If you run off the pavement—Hold the steering wheel firmly. Apply your brakes
lightly and reduce your speed until you can safely return to the pavement.
Check traffic in both directions and when it’s safe, steer carefully back into
your lane.
• On ice, snow, sleet, gravel, sand, and other loose surfaces—Tap the brakes
slightly, about one-second apart. Braking suddenly can make the car skid.
(CAUTION: Never tap antilock brakes.)
Sudden over-correction can make you lose control of your car.
Make changes slowly and carefully.
STOPPING IN ICY AND RAINY CONDITIONS
Always drive cautiously when roads or weather conditions can make you lose
control of your car. Slow down and be ready for an emergency situation — for
the drivers ahead as well as for yourself.
Skidding—Icy roads are dangerous. You must be extremely careful on ice,
especially on “black ice,” a clear icy coating on the road surface that you can’t
see. There is very little you can do once a skid starts. The best skid control is
prevention. Get the feel of the roadway—test your brakes gently after the car is
in motion to find out how much traction you have. Traction will vary, changing
with traffic use and sunshine or shade.
On roads or spots that seem clear, always be alert for black ice and watch for
danger spots ahead, such as on bridges or in shady areas.
Sudden braking increases the skid. Don’t use the clutch.
As a general rule, if the car starts to skid, take your foot off the brake and turn
the steering wheel in the direction of the skid if you can do so without running
off the road, hitting something, or steering into oncoming traffic.
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Steering into the direction of the skid may not always be the best action. For
example, if you are meeting other traffic and the rear of your car skids to the left,
you wouldn’t steer into the oncoming traffic.
The best advice for driving on icy roads is DON’T. Ask yourself: Is this trip
really worth the risk?
Rain—The roads are likely to be very slick just after it begins to rain or drizzle.
The first few drops loosen built-up grease and dirt on the road surface, covering
it with a slippery film that makes driving very dangerous. Keep alert — the first
few drops of rain signal danger. Slow down and use extra caution: “Slippery
when wet.”
Hydroplaning—As long as the road surface is wet, you should slow down to
avoid hydroplaning. Hydroplaning means that your tires lose contact with the
road surface and actually ride on the film of water. Hydroplaning reduces traction and increases stopping distance. Turning is more hazardous. Wide tires can
hydroplane even at reduced speeds.
n Slow down or pull off the road in a heavy downpour.
n Never drive into water crossing the roadway. You can’t judge the depth of the
water or force and pull of the flow.
FOLLOWING
You should always give yourself a “cushion
of safety,” having open space in front, behind,
and on the sides. Avoid following too closely.
Stay far enough behind the next vehicle that,
if it should stop suddenly, you can stop safely.
Remember that speed, traffic, road, and weather
conditions will affect your ability to stop.
n Allow one car length for every 10 miles per
hour of speed OR
n Use the “the three second rule”—Select a fixed
object, such as a tree, roadside sign, or utility
pole ahead of the car in front of you. Once the
car has passed the object, you should be able
to count, “One thousand one, one thousand two, one, thousand three,” before
you pass the fixed object. In bad weather or poor road conditions, increase your
count to four seconds (one thousand four).
Sometimes cars will bunch up and travel in a pack. It’s much safer to avoid the
pack when you can and maintain your cushion of safety.
If you are traveling in a caravan or motorcade (such as a funeral procession)
outside of a business or residential area, leave at least 200 feet between each
vehicle so other cars or trucks can enter the line safely.
Following a truck—Trucks take longer to stop than cars because of their size.
But at higher speeds or on wet pavement, they may have better traction and be
able to stop more quickly than a car. If you are following too closely, you may
not be able to stop in time to avoid rear-ending the truck. (See Chapter 11 on
sharing the road with trucks.)
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HOW TO AVOID REAR-END COLLISIONS
Rear-end collisions are a major driving problem. They can be avoided if you
will follow a few simple rules:
• Pay strict attention to your driving when following another car.
• Watch for brake lights on the four or five cars down the line. It will increase
your response time. Shift your foot to the brake pedal as soon as you see brake
lights go on ahead, so you can stop if needed.
• Watch for shrinking distance between your car and the one ahead. It’s a sure
sign of danger.
• Watch for stopped vehicles on the shoulder ahead. It’s sometimes hard to tell
whether or not a car in the distance ahead is moving or stopped. Compare the
car in question to a fixed object.
• Look for problems that might develop for the driver ahead of you, so you have
more time to react.
• Above all, leave plenty of space between your car and the car ahead of you as
a safety cushion.
• If the car ahead of you signals for a left turn, slow down and prepare to stop.
Avoid being hit from behind.
If someone is following you too closely (tailgating):
• Flash your brake lights if braking will not cause a collision.
• Slow down and encourage the driver behind you to pass.
• If these tactics fail, pull over, stop, and let the tailgater pass. Keep your doors
locked. It’s best to stop in an area where there are other people, such as a
convenience store. If it’s night, pull into a well-lighted area.
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PARKING
Knowing how to park is an important driving skill. Not all collisions are driving
errors. An improperly parked car can roll, gain speed, and destroy property or
even kill someone. When you leave your car, truck, or van:
n Set the parking brake.
n Put the gear in low, reverse, or “park.”
n Turn off the motor.
n Lock the ignition and remove the key.
It’s always a good practice to lock your car, even in your own driveway.
PARKING ON A HIGHWAY
Where parking is permitted, signal, slow down, and drive completely off the
pavement or the main traveled part of the roadway.
If your vehicle breaks down, move it completely off the highway. Turn on the
emergency flashers.
Watch out for fast traffic going by as you get out of the car. Do not allow children
to leave the car and approach oncoming traffic.
ANGLE PARKING
Angle parking is used in parking lots, shopping centers, and sometimes at curbs.
When you enter an angle parking space:
• Watch for vehicles and pedestrians both ahead and behind.
• Signal and begin slowing down.
• Make sure the rear of your car will clear the parked car.
• Steer sharply into the parking space, and then straighten the wheels, centering
your car.
• Park as above.
When you back out of an angle parking space:
• Make sure nothing is in your way. In a supermarket lot, check for carts.
• Look both ways and double-check, because it’s hard to see oncoming traffic. Be
especially careful if a truck or van is parked beside you, blocking your view.
• Move back slowly. Be sure traffic is clear in the lane where you’re backing.
• Tap the horn to warn pedestrians nearby.
• When you can see past the tops of the cars parked next to you, stop and look again.
Look back and to each side for pedestrians and other drivers.
• Remember that the front of your car will swing opposite to the direction of
your turn and can hit the car next to you.
• Back slowly while turning until your left front wheel passes the rear bumper
of the car parked on the left.
• Straighten the wheels as your car comes back into the lane of traffic.
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PARALLEL PARKING
Unless there are signs that prohibit parking or a yellow painted curb, you may
park parallel to any curb and within 18 inches of the curb. Parallel parking takes
practice and requires a lot of caution and control.
Choose a space large enough for your car.
Signal, then drive up even with the car in
front and about 2 feet out from it.
Make sure you will not interfere with
oncoming traffic, then turn your front
wheels all the way to the right and back
slowly toward the curb.
When your front wheels are opposite the
rear bumper of the car in front, quickly
turn your steering wheel all the way to
the left. Back slowly into position
alongside the curb, within 18 inches of it.
Straighten your front wheels and drive
into the final parking position. Center
your car in the space.
Spacing and timing are important. If you are too close to the car ahead or if you
cut your wheels to the right too soon, you’ll drive too close to the rear bumper
of the car ahead of you. If you are too far out from the car in front, you won’t
be able to get close enough to the curb. If you cut your wheels to the left too
late, you’ll hit the curb. Each time you drive out or back up, signal, watch for
oncoming traffic, and move slowly.
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PARKING AND STARTING ON A HILL
A car parked on an incline can roll downhill, forward, or backward if the parking
brake is not set or not working properly or if the car isn’t braced against the curb.
To Park on a Hill
•Parallel park as in the previous section, but stop within six inches of the curb.
•Brace the wheels against the curb, as described below.
•Set the parking brake.
•Put the car in the proper gear, reverse, low gear, or “park.”
•Turn off the switch.
Facing downhill — To brace your car when parking downhill, turn your wheels
toward the curb and drive forward slowly until the wheel is against the curb (see
diagram). Shift into reverse or “park.” If the car should roll, the curb will stop it.
Facing uphill, against a curb — Turn your wheels sharply, away from the curb,
and back up slowly until the rear of the tire is against the curb. Shift into low gear
or “park.” If the car should roll, the curb will stop it.
Facing uphill, without a curb — Turn your wheels sharply to the right. Shift as
above. If the car should roll, it will roll away from of the flow of traffic.
To Start on a Hill
•Start the motor.
•Shift to the proper gear.
•Signal.
•Look in the rearview mirror and look to
the rear.
•Release the parking brake.
•Check again for oncoming traffic. When
the lane is clear, drive out. It will be your
responsibility to wait for an opening and
move safely into the proper lane, as the
drivers already traveling have the right-of-way.
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If you are using a standard transmission, when you release the brake, you should
accelerate and release the clutch at the same time to keep the car from rolling.
DISABLED PARKING PERMIT
The Department of Public Safety issues a transferable parking
permit to physically disabled residents who may be the driver
or the passenger of any vehicle. The permit is hung from the
mirror. A car displaying the physically disabled parking permit
has special parking privileges throughout the state and may
park in spaces reserved for disabled parking.
Any person applying for a permit must submit an application
completed by a physician. The physician must state that the
person has a physical disability, as required by law. A review
test for the driver license may be required.
Making a false statement in an application or unauthorized use
of a permit is a misdemeanor.
UNLAWFUL PARKING
Laws are made to protect us from dangers that we may cause to other people and
dangers that others may cause us. Parking laws are intended to keep your car
from being hit by someone else and to keep your car, truck, van, or motorcycle
from endangering others.
THE LAW SAYS
No person shall stop, park, or leave a vehicle unattended except when necessary
to avoid conflict with other traffic or traffic-controlled device, in any of the following places.
It Is Illegal to Park in These Places
1. On a sidewalk.
2. In front of a public or private driveway.
3. Within an intersection.
4. Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
5. On a crosswalk.
6. Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.
7. Within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing beacon, stop sign, or trafficcontrol signal located at the side of the roadway.
8. Within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.
9. Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station or within 75 feet
on the side of a street opposite the entrance (when properly signposted).
10.Alongside or opposite any obstruction or street excavation when parking
would obstruct traffic.
11.On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb
of a street (double parking).
12.On any bridge or other elevated structure on a highway or within a highway underpass.
13.Any place where official signs prohibit stopping.
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Your responsibility as a defensive driver includes making allowances for and
adapting to the other people and vehicles on the road. There are skills and techniques
you should use for sharing the road with pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, trains,
trucks, farm equipment, and horse-drawn vehicles. Knowing what to do and how to
do it can help you stay alive and avoid damaging your vehicle or someone else’s.
Remember the “golden rule.” Drivers should protect
each other by driving defensively.
SHARING THE ROAD WITH PEDESTRIANS
“Pedestrians” include people walking, skateboarders, in-line or roller skaters,
and the disabled who use wheelchairs, walkers, tricycles, or similar supports.
Pedestrians in a crosswalk have the right-of-way over most vehicles, whether
the crosswalk is marked or not.
Crosswalks are intended to encourage people to cross only at certain locations.
As you know, some people will cross when and where they want to, regardless of
traffic signals, marked crossings, or even their own safety. As the person controlling
a potentially dangerous machine, it’s your job to “play it safe” where pedestrians
are concerned and protect them when you see they may be in danger.
• Be alert to people entering the roadway or crosswalks any place where pedestrian traffic is heavy.
• Yield to blind pedestrians carrying a white or chrome cane
or using a guide dog.
• Be especially careful in school zones, school crossings, or
where children are playing.
• Yield to pedestrians using the sidewalk when you’re
entering or leaving a driveway or alley.
• Don’t honk, gun your engine, or do anything to rush or
scare a pedestrian crossing in front of your car, even if you
have the legal right-of-way.
HELP THE UNSEEN PEDESTRIAN
A teenager steps into the crosswalk (or worse, into the roadway) on a four-lane
city street. The driver in the lane nearest her sees her and stops. But the drivers
in the next lane don’t see her and don’t know why the first driver stopped. They
go ahead at full speed. A pickup driver, several vehicles back in that second lane,
reaches the girl’s path just as she steps into view—and into danger.
If you are the driver in the stopped car, do everything you can to help protect that
girl, such as warning the drivers behind you with a “stop” hand signal or with
several taps on your brakes, flashing your brake lights.
If you see the car in the lane next to you stop suddenly for no apparent reason,
slow down and look out. That driver may be stopped for a pedestrian.
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SHARING THE ROAD WITH BICYCLES
Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the streets that
you do, and in most cases, they must share the lane. When you’re
sharing the road with bicycles, you should always expect the rider
to make sudden moves. Trash, minor oil slicks, a pothole or crack
in the concrete, a barking dog, a parked car or a car door opening,
and other surprises can force a bicycle rider to swerve suddenly in front of you.
When overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction, the person
driving a motor vehicle shall exercise due care by leaving a safe distance between
the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three (3) feet until the motor
vehicle is safely past the overtaken bicycle
(Title 47-11-1208-A).
•Watch for bicycle riders turning in front of
you without looking or signaling, especially
if the rider is a child.
•Allow at least 3 feet of room when passing
a bicycle rider.
•Avoid passing between a bicyclist and
oncoming vehicles on a two-lane road. Slow
down and allow vehicles to pass. Then move
to the left to allow plenty of room to pass the
rider safely.
•NEVER pass a bicycle if the street is too
narrow. Wait until there is enough room to
let you pass safely.
•Residential areas are danger zones: Bicyclists have all the rights AND responsibilities of a person driving a car and are subject to all vehicle laws.
•Watch out for bikes coming out from driveways or from behind parked cars or
other obstructions.
•If you are about to pass a bicycle on a narrow roadway and you think the rider
doesn’t know you’re coming, honk your horn briefly as a signal that you’re going
to pass. Don’t blast your horn or otherwise startle or try to intimidate the rider.
•At night, watch the side of the road for bicyclists. They are required to have a front light
and rear reflector, but lights from approaching traffic may make them hard to see.
•Merge with bicycle traffic when preparing for a right turn. Don’t turn directly
across the path of a bicyclist.
Bicycle riders are required
to ride as far right in the
lane as possible only
when the lane can be
safely shared by a car and
a bicycle, side by side.
Even then, there are certain times when a bicycle
can take the full lane.
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A bicyclist can ride in the full lane when:
• The rider is overtaking and passing another vehicle going in the
same direction.
• The bicyclist is getting in place for a left turn at an intersection or turning left into a private road or driveway.
• There are unsafe conditions in the roadway, such as
parked cars, moving vehicles or machinery, fixed obstacles, pedestrians, animals, potholes, debris.
• The lane is too narrow for both a car and a bicycle to
safely share the lane. In this case, it is safest to let the bicycle take the
full lane.
• If you see this flag on a bicycle, slow down; the bicycle rider
may have impaired hearing.
• All bicyclists must ride in the correct lane of traffic.
SHARING THE ROAD WITH MOTORCYCLES
Research shows that two-thirds of car/motorcycle collisions are
caused, not by the motorcyclist, but by the driver, who turned in
front of the motorcycle. The drivers didn’t see the motorcycles at
all or didn’t see them until it was too late to avoid the collision.
Why Drivers Don’t See Motorcyclists
1.Motorists tend to look for other cars, not for motorcycles.
2.The profile of a motorcycle is narrow and the body is short, making it harder
to see and making it harder for a driver to estimate its distance and speed.
3.Motorcycle riding requires frequent lane movements to adjust to changing
road and traffic conditions.
Motorcycles have the right to the use of the lane. Riders need the lane’s full
width to respond to and handle hazards such as potholes, shifting traffic blocking
their view or blocking them from being seen, and strong winds or blasts of air
from passing vehicles. You should not try to share a lane with a motorcycle, and
you should respect its space and position in traffic. All operators of motorcycles
must have an M endorsement on their driver license.
Techniques for Sharing the Road with Motorcycles
• Passing—Pass as you would pass a car, and don’t pass too close or too fast, as the
blast of air can blow a motorcycle out of control.
• Left turns—Always signal your intention to turn. Watch for oncoming motorcycles.
• Follow at a distance—Allow at least a three-second following distance, so the
cyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency. Both cyclists and
drivers are more likely
to make bad decisions if
there is not enough stopping distance or time to
see and react to conditions.
• Check your blind spots
when changing lanes—
Cyclists riding alongside
a lane of cars are often out
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of the view of the driver. An unsuspecting driver may change lanes and clip or hit
a motorcycle.
•Anticipate motorcyclists’ maneuvers—a cyclist will change lane position to
prepare for upcoming traffic conditions. Expect and allow room for the rider to
adjust to road hazards that you can’t see. At intersections, where most collisions
and injuries occur, wait until the rider’s intentions are absolutely clear (turning
or going straight) before you move into the path of travel. Be even more careful
in difficult driving conditions—rain, wet roads, ice, and heavy winds—when
the motorcycle’s braking and handling abilities are impaired.
•Pay extra attention at night—you can easily misjudge distance because the
single headlight and single tail light of a motorcycle can blend into the lights of
other vehicles. Always dim your headlights as you would for cars and trucks.
•Drive aware—Whenever you are on the road or at an intersection with a
motorcycle, use extra caution and care. Learn to watch for the narrow profile.
•Endorsement—Any individual who operates a motorcycle must have a
motorcycle endorsement.
•Windshields—State statutes require that all vehicles covered under this section
shall be equipped with a windshield of sufficient quality, size, and thickness to
protect the operator from foreign objects, except that in lieu of such windshield
the operator shall wear ANSI-approved goggles or face shield material designed
to protect against foreign objects.
SHARING THE ROAD WITH TRUCKS
You will always be sharing the road with
trucks because they haul more freight more
miles than any other form of transportation.
Trucks are the sole method of delivery
and pickup for 77 percent of America’s
communities.
Truck drivers are always watching for smaller
vehicles and working to avoid collisions. There
are some techniques that you can use to help
them—and yourself—share the road safely.
Safety Rules for Following a Truck:
• Stay far enough back so you can see the roadway ahead clearly.
•Position your vehicle so you are outside the
truck’s “blind spot,” and be sure the truck
driver can see you in the rearview mirror. If
you can’t see the truck’s mirror, the driver
can’t see you. A truck’s blind spots are
immediately in front, on either side of the
cab, and up to 200 feet in the rear. A trucker
may not be able to see the road directly in
front of the cab. If the tractor has a long
hood, the trucker may not be able to see the
first 10-20 feet of concrete in front of the
bumper—plenty of room for a car to slip
unnoticed into a dangerous position.
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• If you’re stopped behind a truck on an uphill grade, stay to the left in your lane so
the driver can see you. When stopped in a traffic lane, leave extra space in front of
your car in case the truck rolls back slightly when it starts to move.
• Dim your lights at night. Bright lights reflected in the mirrors can blind the driver.
• In rainy conditions, stay back. Spray and splash from the rear wheels can cover
your windshield with sheets of water or mud.
Passing a Truck
• Check to your front and rear and move into the passing lane only if it is clear
and you are in a legal passing zone. Let the driver know you are passing by
blinking your headlights, especially at night. The driver will make it easier for
you by staying to the far side of the lane.
• Because of their weight, trucks travel faster downhill and slower uphill. You
may have to increase your speed to pass a truck on a downhill grade. Complete
your pass as quickly as possible and don’t stay alongside the truck. After you
pass, maintain your speed. Don’t pass a truck, then slow down, making the
truck driver brake while traveling downhill.
PASS TRUCKS WITH CARE AND CONFIDENCE
Many people are afraid of passing two-trailer trucks. They’re afraid of the passing
distance and think that maybe the second trailer could swerve out of control and hit
them. Actually, studies show that these trucks are just as safe as single-trailer trucks
and you can pass them, and all trucks, using care and skill, without being afraid.
• If the driver blinks the truck’s lights after you pass, it’s a signal that you are
cleared to pull back in front of the truck. Move back only when you can see
the front of the truck in your rearview mirror.
• When a truck passes you, you can help the driver by keeping to the far side of your
lane and reducing your speed slightly. Never speed up as a truck is passing.
• When you meet a truck coming from the opposite direction, keep as far as possible to the right side of the road to avoid being sideswiped and to reduce the
wind turbulence between you and the truck. The turbulence pushes vehicles
apart, it does not suck them together.
Risky Situations with Trucks
A truck making a right turn—Watch for
turn signals. Trucks make wide right
turns and often must leave an open
space on the right side Do not move
into that space or try to pass a truck if it
might be making a right turn. If you are
between the truck and the curb, the driver may not be able to see you, and your
car can be crunched or sideswiped.
A truck backing up—When a truck is
trying to back into a loading dock, there
may be no choice except to block the
roadway for a short time. Never try to
cross behind a truck when it’s preparing
to back up. This is a high-collision situation because you will be in the driver’s blind
spots. Give the driver plenty of room and wait patiently for the few minutes it takes to
complete the maneuver.
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SHARING THE ROAD WITH TRAINS
Actually, you don’t share the road
with trains—you stop and let them
have the right-of-way. You
must ALWAYS yield to trains
because:
n The average car weighs 3,000 pounds, and the average loaded train weighs 12 million pounds.
n A train traveling at 55 mph takes a mile or more to stop.
n You are 20 times more likely to die in a collision with a train than in a crash with a car or truck.
A train collision is always the fault of the car driver. Nearly half
the car/train collisions in America happen at crossroads with lights, bells, or gates;
and two-thirds of the crashes happen in full daylight. Why?
Impatience—Drivers don’t want to wait the 30 seconds to 2 minutes average
time it takes for the train to pass through the intersection. They try to beat the
train. Don’t let yourself or your family and friends be one of these statistics. In
Oklahoma in 2008 there were 52 crashes involving trains with 5 fatalities and 19
persons injured.
Negligence—When drivers see a railroad crossing sign or warning, they don’t
respect the potential for danger: they cross the tracks without looking, listening,
or stopping. Most collisions occur within 25 miles of the driver’s home.
LOOK, LISTEN, AND LIVE.
Operation Lifesaver is a program to teach railroad crossing safety. Since Operation
Lifesaver started in 1972, collisions like this have been reduced by 50 percent.
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THE LAW SAYS
Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing,
the driver of such vehicle shall stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from
the nearest rail of such railroad and shall not proceed until he can do so safely
when:
a.A clearly visible electric or mechanical signal device gives warning of the
immediate approach of a train.
b.A crossing gate is lowered, or when a human flagman gives or continues to
give a signal of the approach or passage of a train.
c. A train approaching within approximately 1500 feet of the highway crossing
emits a signal audible from such distance, and the train by reason of its speed
or nearness to such crossing is an immediate hazard.
d.An approaching train is plainly visible and is in hazardous proximity to such
crossing.
Warning Devices for Highway-Rail Crossings
All 4,261 Oklahoma public highway-rail crossings have been marked with one or
more of the following warning devices. Over 1,200 of these crossings have gates,
lights, or bells to warn you of approaching trains
Advance Warning Signs—Advance warning signs mean a
highway-rail crossing is ahead. The signs are located far
enough from the crossing to allow you to stop before reaching the crossing.
Pavement Markings—An R X R and a stop line may be
painted on the pavement in front of a crossing. Always stay
behind the painted
stop line while waiting for a passing train.
Railroad Crossbuck Signs—Crossbucks are
found at most public crossings. Treat them
the same as a YIELD sign—slow down
and prepare
to stop if you see or hear a train approaching.
If there is more than one track, a sign below
the crossbuck shows the number of tracks at
this crossing. Knowing the number of tracks is
important for knowing when to
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wait and when to go.
Flashing Light Signals—Flashing
lights mean a train is coming.
Always stop when the lights are
flashing. Cross only when the lights stop flashing. If there is more
than one track, make sure all tracks are clear before beginning to
cross.
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Gates and Flashing Signals—Stop when the lights begin to flash and
before the gate is lowered across your lane. Remain stopped until the
gates are raised and lights have stopped flashing.
STOP
Stop Sign—Stop completely, and look both ways
before driving across the
tracks.
Safety Rules for Highway-Railway Crossings
•Slow down, keep alert, and watch for the crossing sign or signal.
•Look both ways and
listen, because you
may have to stop.
• Expect a train on any track at
any time.
• Don’t get trapped on the tracks. Never move onto a railroad track unless
you are certain you can drive across safely. Once you have started across the
tracks, keep going.
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• Never drive around the gates.
If the gates are down, stop
behind the gate. It’s against
the law to drive through
lowered gates. Don’t cross
the tracks until the gates are
raised and the lights have
stopped flashing.
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If you are crossing the tracks and the warning lights begin flashing or the gates
start coming down, don’t stop. KEEP MOVING! The warning signals will
allow enough time for you to finish driving through the crossing before the
train arrives. The gate on the far side of the tracks will not block you in. If you
stop and try to back up, your vehicle may stall.
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• Watch out for the second
train. When you are at
a multiple track crossing
and the last car of the train
passes by, don’t go until
you’re sure that no other
train is coming on another
track, from either direction.
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•Get out of your vehicle if it stalls on
the tracks. Get yourself and everyone else out and get off the tracks
immediately. If a train is coming,
get away from the tracks and run
toward the direction of the train at
a 45 degree angle (away from the
point of impact) as in the picture. If
no train is in sight, post lookouts and
try to start the vehicle or push it off
the tracks.
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Your car is replaceable. You aren’t! No vehicle is worth a human life.
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• Never race a train. You will
never have a second chance if
you lose the race.
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• Watch for vehicles that must stop at
highway-railway crossings.
nTrucks carrying hazardous materials
n School bus
n Church bus
n Passenger bus
Be prepared to
stop behind them.
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• Never pass at a highway rail
crossing. Don’t pass cars or
bicyclists. The bicycle tires
can get caught on the tracks,
and the rider can be thrown
across your path.
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• Don’t misjudge the train’s speed
and distance. Because of the large
size of a train, it appears to be
moving much slower than you
think. If you see or hear a train,
STOP and WAIT for the train to
pass.
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• Be especially careful at night for highwayrailway crossings. It’s very hard to judge a
train’s speed and distance at night. If you
see or hear a train, STOP and WAIT for
the train to pass.
SLOW-MOVING VEHICLES
Be alert for slow-moving vehicles, especially in rural areas.
Watch for tractors, combines, and other farm equipment moving
from one field to another and traveling on state highways. The
equipment can be very large and use more than one traffic lane.
In most cases, these vehicles will be traveling at less than 25
mph. Coming over the top of a hill at 65 mph to find a large slow-moving tractor
in front of you is a frightening and dangerous experience. Expect the unexpected
and be prepared to protect yourself and your passengers.
In some areas of Oklahoma, you may be sharing the road with animal-drawn
vehicles. They have the same rights to use the road as a motor vehicle and must
follow the same rules of the road. They are subject to heavy damage and injury
to the occupants if hit by a car. Warning signs will be posted in areas where you
are likely to find animal-drawn vehicles. Be alert!
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USING HIGH AND LOW HEADLIGHT BEAMS PROPERLY
The law requires you to use your headlights properly.
• You must use your low beams (dimmed lights) when you are approaching
within 1000 feet of an oncoming vehicle.
• You must dim your lights when you are following another vehicle within
600 feet. High-beam (bright) lights cause intense glare in the other driver’s
rearview mirror and can interfere with his or her vision. Low beams reduce the
glare. The only exception is when you’re in the process of passing someone.
• You must use your headlights between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes
before sunrise, and at other times when visibility is not normal.
Use high beams only when driving in the open country without other cars
near. Even with the upper beam, speed should be slower than by day.
Always use low beams when approaching other cars, so as not to blind
the driver. Also use low beams when driving (1) where there are street
lights, (2) in fog, and (3) when following within 600 feet of another car.
HEADLIGHT HIGHLIGHTS
nFog—Use low beams. High beams reflect off the fog, like shining your lights
in a mirror, and you can’t see very far ahead.
nParking lights—Parking lights are not for highway driving. If you need lights,
turn on your headlights.
nNight driving in a city—Use your low beams.
USING A STANDARD TRANSMISSION
With a standard or manual transmission, you can control the gear-speed ratio
and use your gears, rather than your brakes, to help slow down your car. Many
drivers enjoy the feeling and control of driving cars and trucks with a standard
transmission.
Techniques for Smooth and Effective Shifting
• Hold the clutch pedal all the way down when starting the motor, shifting gears,
and when your speed drops below 10 mph as you’re coming to a stop.
• Don’t “ride the clutch,” meaning don’t drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal.
• Practice to get smooth coordination in using the clutch and accelerator pedals.
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• Don’t coast with the gears in neutral or with the clutch pedal pushed down
except when shifting gears.
• In going down steep hills, put your car in a lower gear.
• Coasting on a down grade with the clutch engaged or the vehicle in neutral is
a violation of OS§ Title 47, Chapter 11-1107.
GOOD DRIVING POSTURE
You will be driving more effectively and with less fatigue if you are comfortable, your
body is well-aligned in your car seat, you are the proper distance from the steering
wheel and the pedals, and if you can use your mirrors to the best advantage.
• Adjust the seat to a comfortable position so you can reach the pedals easily and
have good vision.
• Adjust the rearview mirror so that you can see
the road behind.
• Check and adjust your left outside rearview
mirror.
• Be sure there’s nothing on the front seat that can
fall on the floor and distract you.
• Fasten your seat belt.
• Use a solid, strong grip on the steering wheel:
You should have at least 1/3 of the wheel
between your hands to have a strong turning force with either hand. Think of
the steering wheel as a clock. Generally, your left hand should be between
9:00 and 10:30 and your right hand between 2:00 and 4:00.
• Don’t drive with your elbow out the window. You don’t have full control of
the steering wheel and a side-swipe collision could take off your arm.
AVOID CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
You can’t see, smell, or taste it, but carbon monoxide gas from your engine can
kill you. Carbon monoxide is most likely to leak into your car when the heater
is running, when your exhaust system is not working properly, or when you’re
in heavy traffic and breathing exhaust fumes from other cars. A faulty exhaust
system can leak poisonous fumes into the back seat area where children may be
sitting or sleeping.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:
• You feel drowsy and/or dizzy.
• Lights seem brighter.
• The skin has a blue color; lips turn blue. • Your forehead tightens.
Pull off the road, park, and turn off the motor. Open your windows. Relax or get
out and walk around until you feel better. A child or passenger overcome with
carbon monoxide may require artificial respiration or medical attention.
How to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning:
• Have your exhaust system checked regularly by
a reputable mechanic.
• Be alert for any unusual roar from under the car.
• Never let the engine run in a closed garage.
• In congested traffic, close the fresh-air vent.
• On the highways in cold weather, open the
fresh-air vent.
DRIVING OUT OF STATE
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Before starting on a vacation or business trip, be sure you have your proof of insurance and your vehicle registration with you. Oklahoma residents involved in collisions in another state must comply with the Oklahoma Financial Responsibility
Law (insurance requirements). If you are involved in an accident out-of-state, not
only are you responsible for your driving under the laws of that state, but if you are
not properly insured, your Oklahoma driver license will be suspended.
CAR PHONE SAFETY
Cellular car phones require that you take one hand off the wheel. Talking on
the phone takes your mind off of the road and your driving. Studies show
that complex phone conversations can affect your ability to respond to changing
traffic conditions.
Safety tips for phoning while driving:
•Whenever possible, pull off the road before calling from your car.
•Do not unbuckle your seat belt to reach for a phone.
•Use the memory dial function and voice-activated dialing when possible to
avoid taking your eyes off the road.
•Do not allow the phone to distract or disturb you while driving.
•DO NOT eat, drink, light a cigarette, read, or write while you talk and drive.
•Make your calls as short as possible; know when to hang up.
•Ask your passenger to handle all phone calls for you.
•Know your own limits. If you recognize that using a car phone distracts you
from driving safely, limit your use or simply pull off the road when you’re on
the phone.
•State law requires drivers to devote full time and attention to driving. You
may be ticketed if involved in an accident while using a cellular phone.
Pay Attention - Be Alert
In 2009, 10 fatal crashes involved a driver distracted by an electronic devise.
Learners permit or intermediate license holders can be suspended or cancelled
for using a hand-held electronic devise while operating a motor vehicle for nonlife threatening emergency purpose. (Effective Nov. 1, 2010)
At 55 mph it takes 3.7 seconds to drive the length of a football field. It takes 5
seconds to dial a cellular phone. It takes only a split second with your eyes off
the road and your hand off the wheel to lose control.
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EMERGENCY KIT FOR YOUR CAR
The delay and frustration from a roadside breakdown can be reduced if you’re
prepared for roadside emergencies. Carry these items in your car to be prepared
for an emergency and for helping other drivers along the road.
Emergency Kit
• Flashlight with good batteries
•Jumper cables
• Inflated spare tire and tire jack
•Heavy-duty lug wrench
• Oil for loosening lug nuts
•Windshield sun screen or sign with
• Rags “send help” on it
• Change for pay phones or a
•Local maps and a road atlas
prepaid phone card
•Tarp
• Water
•Tire gauge and screwdriver set
• Blanket
•First-aid kit
• Adjustable crescent wrench
•Bungee cord or strong rope
• Emergency flares
•Candles and matches
TRAFFIC FACTS
Oklahoma has more than 700 troopers enforcing its traffic laws and protecting
2,481,432 licensed drivers (and their passengers) on over 113,324 miles of
roads. From concrete turnpikes to plain dirt roads, from flat highways in the
panhandle to the winding curves of “Green Country” in the east, Oklahoma has
a wide variety of terrain and driving conditions that require a variety of driving
techniques. When you are licensed to drive in Oklahoma, you will be sharing the
road with 3.8 million registered vehicles and 96,632 motorcycles.
STAY ALERT . . . STAY ALIVE!
To avoid fatigue on long trips, take a break occasionally.
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Flood Dynamics
Water weighs about 62.4 pounds per cubic foot and typically flows downstream
at 6 to 12 miles an hour. When a vehicle stalls in the water, the water's momentum
is transferred to the car. For each foot the water rises, 500 pounds of lateral force
are applied to the car. For each foot the water rises up the side of the car, the car
displaces 1,500 pounds of water. In effect, the car weights 1,500 pounds less for
each foot the water rises! Most vehicles will float in just two feet (24 inches) of
water even SUVs!
Most vehicles will become buoyant in two feet (24 inches) of water or less.
All motorists should remember the following Flood Safety Rules:
• Cars can easily stall in the water and be carried away in any current!
• Most vehicles will be swept away by less than two feet (24 inches)
of running water!
• Do not try to cross a flooded road or stream in your vehicle!
• Do not drive around barricades at low-water crossings.
• Be especially vigilant at night or when traveling on unfamiliar roads.
• Do not drive into or attempt to drive across flowing water.
• Observe any water level indicators at low-water crossings,
remembering that six inches of water may be enough to cause you to
lose control of your vehicle.
• Be aware that beneath the water's surface, roadbeds may have been
washed away.
• If you choose to abandon your vehicle, respect the force of the
water. Six inches of fast-moving water will knock you off your feet.
If you encounter a flooded roadway, Turn Around Don't Drown!
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DRUGS AFFECT YOUR DRIVING
Everyone knows that mind-altering drugs like alcohol, marijuana, tranquilizers,
antidepressants, speed, and crank can change the way you see things and the
way you react—mentally and physically. But not everyone realizes that many
prescription drugs and even over-the-counter drugs (such as cold, hay fever,
and pain medications or pep pills and diet pills) can slow your reaction time,
make you dizzy or nervous, and impair (damage, weaken, or worsen) your
concentration and vision.
You never know what will happen. The same drugs, and the same amount of
drugs, will affect each person differently. Also, the same drug can affect you more
at one time than another. Weight, emotional state, heart and breathing rate, food
intake, amount of sleep, tolerance for a drug, and other factors, can all influence
the way you react to drugs. Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs will reduce
your ability to judge a driving situation, decide what to do, and act quickly.
Mixing drugs can be especially dangerous, because they react with each other
and multiply the harmful effects on your concentration and coordination. This
is especially true when one of those drugs is alcohol. Mixing alcohol and drugs
may multiply the effects of the alcohol and the combination can create additional
effects, including serious health problems—even death.
ALCOHOL—WHY DRINKING AND DRIVING IS SO DANGEROUS
Alcohol moves quickly to your stomach, into your blood, and to all parts of your
body. Driving skills, especially your judgment, are affected almost immediately.
Alcohol puts good judgment on hold—you don’t know when you’ve had too
much to drink until it’s too late. By the time you feel it, your judgment and
coordination are already impaired.
Alcohol slows your reflexes and reaction time, reduces your ability to see clearly,
and makes you less alert. As the amount of alcohol in your body increases, your
judgment will worsen and your driving skill will decrease. You will have trouble
judging distances, speeds, and the movement of other vehicles, and you will have
trouble controlling your vehicle.
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Oklahoma law enforcement is tough on drunk drivers. Alcohol is responsible
for about one-fourth of all highway deaths. More young people are crippled,
maimed, and killed by drinking and driving or by drunk drivers than by any other
cause. If you drink or use drugs and drive, there is a greater possibility that you
will be caught, because Oklahoma has improved its laws and increased its law
enforcement against drinking drivers.
Oklahoma has tough penalties for anyone driving under the influence or
impairment of alcohol and drugs, especially for drivers under 21. The consequences
of arrest and conviction will remain on a driver’s record. If you are arrested for
driving or riding a motorcycle under the influence of drugs, the conviction and
penalties can affect you for the rest of your life.
IF YOU DRINK, DON’T DRIVE
Consider this sobering fact about alcohol—it’s not what you drink; it’s how
much. A 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a cocktail with 1.5
ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits all contain the same amount of alcohol.
OKLAHOMA IMPLIED CONSENT LAWS
The very act of driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle
means that you have agreed to take one or more tests to determine your blood
alcohol content (BAC). This law applies to everyone, residents and nonresidents
alike. Refusal to take the test upon request by a law enforcement officer will
result in an automatic revocation of your driving privilege, even if you have not
been drinking. If you have been drinking, the test will determine the BAC level.
If the BAC level is 0.08 or more (or any measurable amount if you are under 21
years old), your driver license will be revoked—even if you are not convicted in
court of driving under the influence (DUI).
THE LAW SAYS
If your license is revoked under the Oklahoma Implied Consent Law, the
revocation period will be from 180 days to three years, depending on your
previous driving record.
CRIMINAL EVIDENCE AND PENALTIES
Whether or not a BAC test indicates you are legally intoxicated is not the real
issue. Impairment of judgment and skill begins well below the legal limit.
Observations and information gathered by the arresting officer are also evidence
that may be used in court and can result in a conviction without a BAC test.
Oklahoma law prohibits driving a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or
other substances. An alcohol concentration in excess of 0.05 is relevant evidence
that the driver’s ability to drive was impaired.
PENALTIES FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING
BAC OVER .05 BUT LESS THAN 0.08
On conviction, a fine of $100–$500, up to 6 months in jail, or both
When the Department of Public Safety receives notice of a conviction, the
Department will also suspend the person’s driving privilege as follows:
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n First suspension—30 days
n Second suspension—6 months
n Third suspension—1 year
DUI stands for “Driving Under the Influence” and means that a driver is intoxicated by drugs or alcohol or both.
If the BAC is 0.08 or more, or any measurable amount for drivers under 21
(see Zero Tolerance, page 13-4), or if the arresting officer’s observations of the
driver’s behavior, appearance, and mannerisms lead to conviction for DUI, the
penalties are imprisonment AND a fine.
PENALTIES FOR DUI—BAC .08 OR MORE
First offense
• a misdemeanor
• imprisonment in jail for not less than ten days nor more than one year, and
• a fine of not more than $1,000
Second offense within ten years
• a felony
• imprisonment for not less than one year, not to exceed five years, and
• a fine of not more than $2,500
Second felony offense
• a felony
• imprisonment for not less than one year, not to exceed seven years, and
• fine of not more than $5,000
Third or subsequent offense
• a felony
• imprisonment for not less than one year, not to exceed ten years, and
• fine of not more than $5,000
When the Department of Public Safety receives notice of the DUI conviction, the
Department will also suspend, or revoke, the person’s driving privilege, unless
the privilege has already been revoked because the BAC test was refused or
failed during the same incident. The license will be suspended as follows:
• For 180 days on the first revocation
• For one year if there was a prior DUI or drug-related revocation within 10 years
• For three years if there were two or more DUI or drug-related revocations
within 10 years
Additional costs commonly associated with an alcohol-related arrest include:
• Lawyer’s fees
• Lost time off work for court and alcohol-education programs
• Alternative transportation costs while your license is suspended
• Court costs, separate from the fines
• Alcohol and drug substance abuse evaluation
• Ignition interlock device
• $75 processing fee for driver license suspension/revocation
• $25 reinstatement fee to get your driver license back
• $200 trauma fee
• $15 assessment fee
• $175 fee for limited-driving privilege, when available
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• Increased insurance rates
• Psychological and emotional costs of being a “drunk driver”
• Harder struggle for jobs, money, and education: If you are convicted of a felony
for a DUI, it may adversely affect your applications for loans and financing,
college admission and scholarships, and more, for the rest of your life.
OTHER DRUGS AND DRIVING
The effects of drugs other than alcohol can impair your thinking and driving even
more than alcohol. Remember that many prescription drugs taken in combination
with alcohol or other drugs can be deadly.
Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs—Before you take a drug, check
the label for warnings about side effects such as drowsiness or nervousness. Diet
and pep pills can make you more alert for a short time; but later they can bring
on nervousness, dizziness, poor concentration, and distorted vision. If you aren’t
sure if it’s safe to take the drug and drive, ask a pharmacist or doctor.
Illegal Drugs—Illegal drugs are not good for your health and affect your ability
to drive safely. For example, research shows that people who use marijuana make
more driving mistakes than other drivers, have more trouble adjusting to glare,
and have more arrests for traffic violations. Drivers on amphetamines are four
times more likely to be involved in a car crash.
“ZERO TOLERANCE” FOR DRIVERS UNDER 21
Oklahoma DUI laws are very strict for people under 21. Oklahoma wants to keep
its young people driving and alive (See the next section, “Additional penalties
for drivers under 18,” page 13-5). A collision caused by mixing drinking or drugs
and driving can wipe out a hopeful future. A DUI conviction for teenagers and
young adults can literally ruin their lives before they have a chance to find out
what life is all about.
THE LAW SAYS
It is unlawful and punishable as stated below, for any person under 21 years of
age to drive, operate, or be in actual physical control (APC) of a motor vehicle
within our state who:
• Has ANY measurable quantity of alcohol in the [person’s] blood or breath at
the time a test is administered.
• Exhibits evidence of being under the influence of any other intoxicating substance; or
• Exhibits evidence of the combined influence of alcohol and any other intoxicating substance.
Lengths of License Revocation
When a person’s driver license is revoked based on the “Zero Tolerance Law,”
the periods of revocation are as follows:
• First conviction or offense for driving under the influence (DUI), actual
physical control (APC), or refusal of the breath or blood test, or a measurable
amount of BAC, the revocation would be for a period of SIX MONTHS.
• Second conviction or offense for DUI, APC, or refusal of the breath or blood
test, or a measurable amount of BAC, the second revocation would be for a
period of 12 MONTHS.
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• Third conviction or offense for DUI, APC, or refusal of the breath or blood
test, or a measurable amount of BAC, the third revocation would be for a
period of 36 MONTHS.
In addition to the mandatory revocation of the driving privilege:
Fines and Penalties
First conviction—Fine of $100­–$500, or community service, or
treatment program, or any combination of fine, community service,
or treatment program.
Second or subsequent conviction—Fine of $100–$1,000, or
community service, or treatment program, or any combination of
fine, community service, or treatment program.
ADDITIONAL PENALTIES FOR PERSONS UNDER 18
If you are under the age of 18, a court is required to notify the Department of
Public Safety of any offense that you commit, including any crime, violation,
infraction, traffic offense or other offense involving or relating to the possession,
use, sale, purchase, transportation, distribution, manufacture, or consumption of
beer, alcohol, or any beverage containing alcohol: and to any crime, violation,
infraction, traffic offense or other offense involving or related to consuming,
ingesting, inhaling, injecting, or absorbing any controlled dangerous substance
as defined by Oklahoma law; or any substance which is capable of being
ingested, inhaled, injected, or absorbed into the human body and is capable of
adversely affecting the central nervous system, vision, hearing, or other sensory
or motor functions.
When the court makes this notification, the Department of Public Safety is
required to cancel or deny a person a driver license for a determined period of
time as recommended by the court or required by law.
PENALTIES FOR PERSONS UNDER 18
At the discretion of the court, a period of:
n 6 months
n 1 year
n 2 years, or until the person attains the age of 21 years, whichever period of
time is longer
Protect yourself and other people. If you drink, don’t drive.
Don’t let your friends drive drunk. Drinking and driving is dumb!
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If your license is suspended or revoked, you can’t apply for a new license until you
are reinstated and you can’t legally drive until your license is restored. Driving with a
suspended or revoked license is a serious crime and the punishment can be severe.
UNLAWFUL USE OF LICENSE AND/OR IDENTIFICATION CARD
Your license is a legal document, the property of the state of Oklahoma, and it is
against the law to use it to misrepresent yourself in any way or to allow anyone else
to use your license.
Many of the purchases of alcohol consumed by our young adults are aided by
the possession of fake identification cards or driver licenses. With the increased
capabilities of today’s computers, a scanned identification card or driver license is
easily duplicated and modified.
The Oklahoma Legislature has given the Department of Public Safety Identity
Verification Unit new tools to combat fake identification cards and driver licenses
by allowing the cancellation of any identification card or driver license for any of
the following violations. Your ID card or driver license may be canceled if you:
• Loan your license or identification card
to any other person or knowingly permit
another to use it.
• Display or cause or permit to be displayed or possess a license or identification card issued to you that has altered
information for the date of birth, expiration date, sex, height, eye color, weight
or license card number.
• Fail or refuse to surrender to the
Department upon its lawful demand any
license or identification card that has
been suspended, revoked or canceled.
• Permit any unlawful use of a license or identification card issued to you.
• Create, publish, or otherwise manufacture an Oklahoma or other state license
or identification card or facsimile thereof, or create, manufacture or possess
an engraved plate or other such device for printing an Oklahoma or other state
license or identification card or facsimile thereof, except as authorized by law.
• Display or cause or permit to be displayed or knowingly possess any state
counterfeit or fictitious license or identification card.
• Display or cause to be displayed or knowingly possess any state license or
identification card bearing a fictitious or forged name or signature.
• Display or cause or permit to be displayed or knowingly possess any state
license or identification card bearing the photograph of any person, other than
the person named as licensee.
• Display or represent as one’s own any license or identification card not issued
to you for the purpose of committing a fraud in any commercial transaction or
to mislead a peace officer in the performance of his/her duties.
• Use a false or fictitious name on any application for a license or identification card.
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It’s a felony for anyone who is authorized to issue licenses to knowingly
participate in licensing someone not entitled to a license or who lies on the
application or tries to use another person’s picture.
THE LAW SAYS
1.To display or cause or permit to be displayed his Class A, B, C, or D license after
such license has been suspended, revoked, or canceled or to possess his license
after having received notice of its suspension, revocation, or cancellation;
2.To lend his Class A, B, C, or D license or identification card to any other person or knowingly permit the use thereof by another;
3.To display or cause or permit to be displayed or to possess a Class A, B, C, or
D license, or identification card issued to him which bears altered information
concerning the date of birth, expiration date, sex, height, eye color, weight, or
license number;
4.To fail or refuse to surrender to the Department upon its lawful demand any
Class A, B, C, or D license which has been suspended, revoked, or canceled;
5.To permit any unlawful use of Class A, B, C, or D license or identification card
issued to him; or
6.To do any forbidden act or fail to perform any act required by law.
It is a felony for any person:
1.To create, publish, or otherwise manufacture an Oklahoma license or facsimile
thereof, or to create, manufacture, or possess an engraved plate or other such
device for the printing of an Oklahoma license or facsimile thereof, except as
authorized by state law;
2.To display or cause or permit to be displayed or to knowingly possess any
counterfeit or fictitious license;
3.To display or cause to be displayed or to knowingly possess any license bearing a fictitious or forged name or signature;
4.To display or cause to be displayed or to knowingly possess any license bearing
the photograph of any person other than the person named thereon as licensee;
5.To display or represent as one’s own any Class A, B, C, or D license or
identification card not issued to him, for the purpose of committing a fraud in
any commercial transaction or to mislead a peace officer in the performance
of his duties; or
6.To use a false or fictitious name in any application for a Class A, B, C, or D license
or identification card or to knowingly make a false statement or to knowingly
conceal a material fact or otherwise commit a fraud in any such application.
7.It is a felony for any employee or person authorized to issue licenses under this
law to knowingly issue a license or to knowingly cause a license to be issued:
A.To a person not entitled thereto;
B.Bearing erroneous information thereon, or
C.Bearing the photograph of a person other than the person named thereon as licensee.
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SCHOOL WITHDRAWAL
If you are under 18 and want to be licensed to drive in Oklahoma, you must be
enrolled in a secondary or vocational-technical school or in a program leading to a
Certificate of High School Equivalency (General Equivalency Diploma: GED). If you
get a license, but then withdraw or drop out of school, you will lose your license.
THE LAW SAYS
School administrators are required to notify the Department of Public Safety of
students, ages 14 through 17, who withdraw from the school. The Department of
Public Safety is required to cancel or deny driving privileges.
DRIVER’S RECORD
Some collisions, any Oklahoma court conviction for a traffic violation, or any
out-of-state court conviction will be put on your driving record. Your entire
driving record will be maintained by the Department and will be transferred if
you apply for a license in another state.
The Department of Public Safety will release your three-year driving record to you
under the provisions of the Driver Privacy Protection Act upon completion of a records
request form. To get a copy of a driving record:
1. Complete a records request form, which may be obtained at a Tag Agency,
on the Department of Public Safety’s Web site (www.dps.state.ok.us), or by
writing to the Department of Public Safety, Records Management, P.O. Box
11415, Oklahoma City, OK 73136.
2. Records request form must be complete with your full name, date of birth, and
driver license number.
3. There is a $25.00 fee for a copy of your driving record. (Effective July 1, 2010)
The Department of Public Safety will provide the driving record to people over
65 at no charge.
DRIVER Compliance
If you drive carelessly, if you disobey the law, if you have a drug or alcohol abuse
problem that affects your driving, or for any other reason you are not driving
safely, you may be required to appear for a Driver Compliance hearing.
The Driver Compliance Bureau of the Department of Public Safety was created
to work with drivers who won’t or don’t know how to drive in a safe manner. The
program is designed to provide self-improvement and safer driving techniques to
traffic violators and people involved in collisions.
People with physical conditions that affect their driving may be required to
obtain Driver Compliance approval to get or retain a driver license. Oklahoma
law authorizes a Medical Advisory Committee, composed of medical doctors, to
recommend standards for the physical, emotional, and mental capacity of license
applicants and licensed drivers.
A Driver Compliance Course can include activities such as meeting with others for
instruction or counseling, defensive driving techniques, identifying collision traps,
how we increase the risk of a collision, and the importance of a proper attitude.
When self-improvement does not occur or can’t be achieved, the Department
of Public Safety must suspend or cancel driving privileges for the safety of the
individual and all other drivers on Oklahoma’s streets and highways.
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PROBATIONARY LICENSE
A license issued to drivers under 18 is considered probationary: You are on a trial
period to show you can drive safely and legally. The Department of Public Safety
can, at its option, cancel or suspend your license for any moving traffic violation.
MANDATORY REVOCATION OF YOUR LICENSE
State law requires that the driving privilege be revoked (withdrawn) for six
months to three years for a conviction of any of the following:
• Manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from operating a motor vehicle.
• Driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the
influence of intoxicants. (No additional suspension will be made if the driving
privilege has already been revoked under the Implied Consent Law for the
same incident. Implied Consent Law: See page 13-2.)
• Any felony in which a motor vehicle is used.
• Failure to stop and render aid if you are a driver involved in a collision resulting in death or personal injury (leaving the scene of a collision/hit-and-run).
• Perjury or making a false statement under oath to obtain a license or for any
other legal matter relating to the ownership or operation of a motor vehicle.
• Any drug conviction (misdemeanor or felony) while using a motor vehicle.
• If under age 21, driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle
with any measurable quantity of alcohol.
OKLAHOMA MANDATORY POINT SYSTEM
The Mandatory Point System is a method by which the Department of Public
Safety monitors your driving. You start with a clean record—no points. Each
time you are convicted of a pointable traffic violation, you are assessed one or
more points on your driver’s record. If you accumulate 10 or more points within
five years, your license will be suspended.
Points can be reduced as discussed below.
A driver convicted of these offenses, in any court, anywhere, having authority over these violations, will
be assessed as follows:
OFFENSE
Violation of license restriction...............................2
Reckless driving......................................................4
Careless driving......................................................2
Speed........................................................................2
Speed in excess of 25 mph above
posted limit..............................................................3
Failure to stop or remain stopped for a school
bus loading or unloading.......................................4
Following too close or improperly.........................2
Failure to obey stop sign or traffic light...............2
Failure to yield right of way....................................2
Left of center or wrong way on one way..............2
Operating a defective vehicle.................................1
All other violations (excluding the violations
requiring suspension or revocation action).........1
Point Reduction
Two (2) points are deducted for each 12-month period in which there are no
convictions of any pointable traffic violations. Points are reduced to zero if there
are no traffic violation convictions for three consecutive years.
Two (2) points are deducted for successful completion of a DPS-approved Driver
Compliance or Defensive Driving Course. Credit for completing the course can
be given once every 24 months. The point total can’t go below zero.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY—LIABILITY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
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Chapter 3 discusses the Liability Insurance Law. It’s so important that it will be
repeated here:
Compulsory Liability Insurance—All Oklahoma drivers and/or vehicle owners
are required by law to carry the minimum limits of liability for this state:
n $25,000 for injury or death of one person
n $50,000 for injury or death of two or more persons
n $25,000 for property damage
By law, you must show proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer or
representative of the Department of Public Safety when asked. If you are in a
collision, you must show your proof of insurance to the other driver and to the
other people involved.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY—PENALTY FOR NOT HAVING INSURANCE
A fine of up to $250, 30 days in jail, or both, PLUS suspension of license
and registration upon conviction of failure to comply with the Compulsory
Insurance Law or failure to produce proof of insurance to a law enforcement
officer upon request.
Important
The Department of Public Safety must have your current address on file. Failure
to keep an updated address with the Department could result in a suspension
without your knowledge.
TESTING LOCATIONS
The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety maintains driver testing facilities
throughout the state. This is done to better serve the public.
Visit our website for locations where driver examinations are given.
Personnel at these sites can supply information concerning the date
and location of examinations within their area.
www.dps.state.ok.us/dls.
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R
TO RESIST DRUGS AND VIOLENCE.
Walking away.
Changing
the subject.
Saying
“No Thanks.”
Strength in
numbers.
Cold shoulder.
Giving a reason
or excuse.
Avoid the
situation.
TO RESIST DRUGS
AND VIOLENCE.
Broken record or
saying no as many
times as necessary.
DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION